Porter Cup 2019: Round One Review
6-under par took the lead, but potential for lower scores exists!Ryoto Furuya of Tampa, Florida, posted the low Wednesday round at the 2019 Porter Cup. His 6-under par 64 places him 1 shot clear of 3 golfers. 23 golfers broke par on the Niagara Falls country club course during round one, an indication of low scores throughout the week. After the rains of spring, temperatures and sun concentration have not allowed the course to bake toward fast and firm. As a result, the turf and grass are lush and springy, receptive to well-struck shots. The rough is not so thick as to be unmanageable, and recovery shots from the longish blades are able to hold greens.
Furuya opened his round with birdies at 1 and 3. He added 6 more, in 3-hole bursts. The Floridian opened the back nine with 3 consecutive birdies, and closed it that way as well. Note to readers: holes 16-18 might be regarded as the NFCC version of Calamity Corner, the late stretch of holes at Royal Portrush that proved to be the undoing of many golfers in the 2019 Open Championship last week. To birdie the set is, well, the stuff of legends. Only bogeys at 8 and 13 kept Furuya from a score in the low 60s.
Tied for 2nd are Austin Hitt (Florida), Josh Whalen (Ontario) and Peter Knade (Maryland.) Hitt opened his round birdie-birdie-eagle, reaching 4-under par by the time he arrived at the 4th tee. He birdied the 6th to reach -5, bogeyed, 7, then birdied 8 and 9 to go out in 29, a course record for the front nine. Hitt cooled off on the inward half, with 2 bogeys and 1 birdie adding up to 36, and a score of 65.
If Knade had paired with Hitt, they might have come in with 59. The Ocean State product began his inward half with an eagle 2 at the drivable par four 10th. The tees were moved up, in the 320-yard range, to give Porter Cuppers a chance to drive the green. Knade did just that, and holed his putt for a deuce. He added consecutive birdies at 13-15, to post 30 on the inward half. Whalen was a mix of the two. He began with 3 consecutive birdies, a stroke behind Hitt’s electric start. He also eagled the 10th, like Knade. On the day, Whalen had 5 birdies, 1 eagle, and 2 bogies.
Five golfers came in with scores of 3-under 67. Seven more signed for 68, including East Amherst’s Ben Reichert. Another seven competitors reached -1 on the day. The tournament continues on Thursday, with tee times running from 7:30 am to 12:20 pm. See all scores here on the Golf Genius site. For tee times, click here.
My Movement Toward Golf Fitness: Installment IV
There is certainly something about the holidays that works against fitness. Marie and I had to postpone our 12/24 session until 12/27, and I had even less time than normal for exercise during the run-up to the Christmas celebrations. Given all that, you'd think that...
Press Release: Henry-Griffitts Introduces Randy Henry’s Dynamic Golf Website
MAUMEE, OH - Henry-Griffitts - the seminal force in custom club fitting for 28 years and the originator of the clubfitting cart - is proud to unveil www.randyhenrygolf.com, the new website for Randy Henry's Dynamic Golf, the world-renowned Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, golf...
Meeting Moe Norman
It was at the 2004 Canadian Women's Open at The Legends on the Niagara that I had a very brief encounter with the legendary Moe Norman. Â For those of you who are not familiar with Moe, he was one of the most accomplished Canadian golfers of all time and surely the...
More Memories From 2011…
Mo’Golf inspired me last week when he gave thanks for his favorite golf memories of 2011. I’ve always believed it’s important to look back for a short time before we begin moving forward. I’m hopeful Scrambler, Rico and everyone else on the site will jump in with...
Domed Hickory Swings: Part One
When I was about 14, some 10 years before he passed (respect), my left-handed maternal grandfather announced that he and I would hit the local goat track. Stanley (my middle namesake) had been a steel man with an engineering mind at Pratt & Letchworth for years,...
Chris Covelli Interview, South Beach International Amateur
Chris Covelli lives in Buffalo and qualified in 2011 for the Porter Cup, where he tied for 76th. After a respite from the game, Covelli returned in full force to competition this year, finishing 5th in the year-long district points race, buoyed by a runner-up finish...
Jonathan Clark Interview, South Beach International Amateur
Jonathan Clark, the 2010 International Junior Masters champion from Elma, NY, is currently working full-time on his golf game in Tampa, Florida. He competed this week in the inaugural South Beach International Amateur championship in Miami, Florida, where he tied for...
Giving Thanks…One Month Late
I'm dashing off this quick little blurb about one month too late for Thanksgiving. I looked forward before I looked back at 2011. It was a memorable golfing year for me and I'd like to take the time to share those memories and gratitude with you. ~The Bethpage Binge:...
The Links At Ivy Ridge Review
The Links at Ivy Ridge opened its tees to the public in July of 2005. The course was a collaboration between the two owners and a number of area golf architects and shapers. The golf course has hosted US Amateur qualifiers and a number of area events. Set back from...
Transit Valley Country Club Review
Transit Valley was built in 1921, in the midst of what many call the Golden Age of golf course architecture. At the time, building a course in East Amherst was truly considered to be in the country. The layout is shoehorned into an undersized plot of land, bordered by...
South Beach International Amateur: Round Three Report
After spending day two with each other, western New York's duo of Chris Covelli and Jonathan Clark will split up for day four of the South Beach International Amateur. Covelli turned in a 77 for a 50th place tie at 226 (+14). Clark went one stroke higher with 78 and...
South Beach International Amateur Report: Day Two
An ill wind must have blown in overnight in south Florida, as all but one contestant shot 70 or higher in round two. US Amateur champion Kelly Kraft added a 72 to his opening 66 to take a one-stroke lead over France's Gary Stal. Unfortunately for the western New York...
Come on In!
Weekdays
08PM -12AM
Weekends
12 PM – 02 AM
Contact
Phone
+(000) 111 222 333
address@domain.com
Address
543 TN, doula street
NY, New York
