Angis only Mainer to finish Hogan

The Golf Scene

FALMOUTH – Tim Angis, an assistant pro at Riverside Municipal Golf Course in Portland, was the only Maine player to make the cut at this week’s Ben Hogan Tour New England Classic at The Woodlands Club here.

Angis had opened with a 6-over-par 78 Friday, but posted a 4-under-par 68 Saturday to easily get under the cut of 149.

Angis shot a 73 Sunday to finish in a tie for 21st at 219.

Bath Country Club pro Bill May, 74-152; Gorham Country Club pro Mark Fogg, 78-154; Augusta amateur Mark Plummer, 76-155; Martindale Country Club pro Bob Darling, 81-158; Paris Hill Country Club assistant pro Randy Hodsdon, 82-161; host club pro Chris McClure, 81-162;

Va-Jo-Wa Golf Course pro Steve Chandler, 83-163; Falmouth Country Club assistant pro Jerry DiPhilippo, 83-167; Sugarloaf Golf Course pro Jim Knowles, 84-171; Kebo Valley Golf Club assistant pro Mike Baker, 86-173; Bethel Inn Golf Course pro Don Roberts, 86-174; and Orono native Tom Giffin, 89-179. – –

Ron Brown Jr. of Cumberland Foreside is a member of The Woodlands, but he hadn’t had a chance to play his home course for two weeks until he played as a marker for Gary Rusnak in Sunday’s final round.

Fifty-seven players made the cut Saturday. Since they’re paired into twosomes for the final round, an extra player was needed for the odd man.

“He said he wanted to get around as fast as possible,” said Brown. “He barely took the time to get up and hit the ball.”

They cruised the 6,848-yard course in two hours, 55 minutes.

“That’s the fastest I’ve ever walked this place,” Brown said, marveling at the feat on an extremely difficult course.

Brown shot “about 77,” while Rusnak had his best round of the tournament, a 71. – –

Tournament winner Steve Haskins is another man who likes to play fast.

He takes a minimal amount of time looking at the shot in front of him and does not spend a lot of time lining up putts.

His fastest round, he said Sunday, was about an hour and a half.

“That’s the way we played back home,” said Haskins. “Just jump in the cart and go, as long as there was nobody in front of us.” – –

The hardest hole at The Woodlands during the tournament was No. 8, which played more than half a stroke (.549) higher than its par of 4.

Next hardest was the par-4 fourth, the course’s signature hole, at an average of 4.360 strokes.

The easiest hole was the 507-yard, par-5 11th at 4.817 strokes.

Eleven of the 14 eagles recorded during the tourney came on the 11th hole, with the other three coming on No. 1, No. 12, and No. 16.

The front played the most difficult with a 38.35 stroke average. The back averaged 37.252 for an 18-hole average of 75.603.

There were 75 scores of triple bogey or higher, with 14 of them on the 16th hole.

The ringer score – the total for the lowest score on each hole – was 26-24-50, while the total of the highest scores on each hole would be 66-66-132.

There were 19 rounds below 70 in the whole event, 49 rounds below par, and 25 more at even par.