Rosauers Open/2004

Johnson Cracks Section Scoring Record at Rosauers

by Jared Stewart

A scoring record usually mean optimal conditions and optimal conditions means a lot of birdies. The following stats do not reflect all of the birdies. These numbers were from the skins competition that only consisted of 116 players out of a field of 168 and a cut on the last round.

Over the three rounds there were a total of 1030 birdies. 67 birdies were on the reachable 469 yard par-5 hole number two in the first round alone. Two aces were holed this year by Indian Canyon’s Trevor Fox on hole 11 and Matt Bunn of Down River on hole eight. Eagles were not a rare sight either, there were 55 eagles, four them on a par 4.

When Scott Johnson decided to make his first debut at this year’s Rosauers; he probably didn’t expect it would be inked in the archives. The head professional at Horn Rapids Club carded birdie on his first hole of the tournament and didn’t look back. With his game and the optimal conditions he broke a section’s scoring record totaling 193.

Johnson scorched the course in the first round with an 8-under 63 tied along Kyle Kelly of Spokane CC. Michael Combs, Scott Kreiger, and Jeff Coston were only a stroke behind at 64. All together there were 49 players under par.

In the second round Johnson did a lot of same as the first round. He turned with a 31 and that is with a bogey on the 7th hole. He went out with 32 to post back-to-back 63’s. This pulled him away from the field leaving only four within six strokes. Combs was two back of Johnson with two eagles and four birdies on his scorecard. John McComish had the largest improvement, bettering his score by 10 strokes from first round and posted a 65.

After Johnson’s bogey on his the 7th hole during the second round, he proceeded to flawlessly play 24 holes. Johnson waltzed through the front nine of the final round turning 4-under. He continued his display with birdies on two of the first three holes on the back.

Defending champion Combs who finished alone in second, said he felt like “Carl Lewis chasing Secretariat” watching Johnson birdie holes on the front while he stayed even through his first five holes.

First Round co-leader Kelly had two eagles on the back nine. He stuck his approach from inside the 150 stake on the 449 yard par-5 for a tap-in settling tied for third.

With a cushion of seven strokes and six holes to play Johnson did admit he started to think about his score. He played the last five holes 2 over with bogeys on 14, 16, and 18. Even though Johnson’s play teetered a little down the stretch it wasn’t enough take him out of the winner’s circle holding an $11,000 check. Johnson shot a 67 which was 20-under for the 54 holes.

The Pacific Northwest Section PGA would like to thank Jeff Phillips and Mike Shirts of Rosauers Supermakets, Tournament Director Roger Gores, and Host Professional Gary Lindeblad for their hard work and continued dedication to the Rosauers Open Invitational.