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No Nationwide Tour event has a larger winner’s prize than the inaugural Soboba Classic, and after one round, a trio of players who desperately need cash find themselves atop the leaderboard. Craig Bowden, Garrett Osborn and Michael Putnam, who stand 31st, 51st and 81st on the 2009 money list, respectively, each posted 4-under-par 67 in Thursday’s first round at the Country Club at Soboba Springs in San Jacinto. Those three golfers lead by a stroke over a group of 11 players, four of whom have won this season — including Garrett Willis, who captured the title at last week’s WNB Golf Classic. The Soboba Classic is one of only two Nationwide Tour events with a $1,000,000 purse and a corresponding $180,000 winner’s haul, meaning it’s especially important for the current leaders — each of whom is outside the top 25 on the money list and thus not eligible to automatically earn a 2010 PGA Tour card — to have a strong showing. The course, which was originally crafted by Desmond Muirhead in the 1960s and revamped by Cary Bickler in 2005, held its own. The par-71, 7,101-yard layout yielded only four bogey-free rounds out of a field of 144. Rickie Fowler, the heralded youngster who’s playing in only his second career professional event, made two birdies and a bogey en route to a 1-under-par 70 that was good for a share of 28th place. The 20-year-old grew up about a half-hour away in Murrieta. There are plenty of other players with Southern California ties in the field: • Former UCLA men’s golf team member Jay Delsing offset a double-bogey on the difficult par-4 16th with five birdies to shoot 68 and be part of the logjam in fourth place. Also at 68 is Idyllwild’s Brendan Steele. • Two wily 40-somethings and one up-and-coming pro shot 2-under 69: Ventura’s Steve Pate and Lynwood’s Bob May comprised the veteran set, while UCLA alumnus Kevin Chappell, the 2008 collegiate player of the year is the youngster. • San Diego-based teaching professional Greg Casagranda was in first place at one point during the day until a bogey on the par-3 15th and a double-bogey on the 16th knocked him from 4-under par back to 1-under. Also shooting 70 were Coronado’s Brian Smock and Pomona’s Jeff Hart. The Sobobs Classic continues tomorrow with the second round and continues until Sunday. Check back all week for more reports from the Country Club at Soboba Springs. ALSO SEE: 5 things to watch at the Soboba Classic |
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