06/24/06
Davenport graduate Schulte leads PGA Pro event after two rounds
PROFESSIONAL GOLF
By Rob Centorani
Staff Writer
Through two rounds of the PGA Professional National Championship, Davenport graduate Alan Schulte has proved he knows how to finish a round.
Now Schulte, the second-round leader at 8-under par after a birdie-birdie finish Friday, will have to see if can finish the tournament hosted by Turning Stone Casino in similar fashion.
Schulte, 43, shot a 3-under-par 69 at Shenendoah Golf Club in Verona to take a one-shot lead over defending champion Mike Small, Stephen Schneiter and Don Berry. Schulte will play Saturday’s third round at Atunyote Golf Club, also in Verona.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]"I don’t really dwell on (my finish), but it does set me up well," said Schulte, who eagled his final hole Thursday to shoot 67 at Atunyote. "Goal No. 1 was to make the cut and goal No. 2 was to accelerate the best you can. You go for the win and hope your finish is good. There are a lot of carrots out there."
If Schulte can hang on over the last two rounds — both at Atunyote — he’ll win $67,000 of the $500,000 purse, earn entry into the PGA Championship, and receive sponsor’s exemptions into six PGA Tour events over the next year.
The top 20 finishers will play in the PGA Championship — one of golf’s four major championships — from Aug. 17-20 at Medinah Country Club outside of Chicago.
"I’ll probably feel some nerves tomorrow for sure," said Schulte, a three-time Section Four champion at Davenport. "That’s part of the battle, too. Experience helps. The more you play and the more you’re under the gun, you learn to handle the nerves. Sometimes, it gets the best of you, and some days you handle it."
The key to Schulte’s lead thus far seems to be his play on par-5 holes. Schulte’s first round included an eagle, a birdie, a par and a bogey on Atunyote’s par-5s. He improved to 4-under on par-5s with two birdies and two pars Friday at Shenendoah.
"I would not have guessed that," said Schulte, who finished seventh in this event two years ago. "I thought I’ve kind of screwed up the par-5s (because) they’re all reachable (in two shots from the tee)."
Schulte said he rolled in a downhill 15-footer for birdie on the par-5 eighth hole Friday — his 17th hole of the day as he started on the 10th — and made a putt of about the same length on the par-3 ninth to conclude his round.
"It’s nice to see those go in," Schulte said.
Schulte’s biggest putt, he said, capped a bogey on the par-4 third hole.
After sending his drive into thick rough, Schulte took a drop and lost a stroke. Schulte, still in deep rough, hit his third shot 60 yards short of the green, then followed with a wedge to 15 feet.
"I was 2 under going into the hole and was jeopardy of giving it back with a double-bogey," he said. "Everything you worked for you give back to the course, so that was a good putt to make. That kept the momentum going."
The cramped leaderboard features 24 players within five strokes of Schulte.
"I’m still not focused on winning," said Schulte, the head pro at Hawthorn’s Golf and Country Club in Fishers, Ind. "I wouldn’t think about that until the back nine in the final round."
Two other players with local ties — former Oneonta High golfer Scott Spence and Windham Country Club pro Brian Lowe — missed the cut of even-par. The low 70 players and ties qualified for the weekend in the 312-player field.
Cooperstown native Spence, 50, finished 1 over. He was at even-par after a birdie on the par-3 16th hole at Atunyote, but bogeyed the par-4 17th and finished with par on 18.
Spence, a Minnesota resident who shot rounds of 72-73, finished third in this tournament a year ago and won $32,000.
Lowe, 55, missed the cut by four shots after rounds of 73-75.
The rest of the tournament will be televised on The Golf Channel from 4-6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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Rob Centorani can be reached at rcentorani@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 209.
