Local qualifiers shoot for state golf title

Dalhousie Golf Club plans to open for play for members and their guests on Tuesday, but four members will miss it to compete in the 95th Missouri Amateur Championship in Springfield, Mo.

Mark Allen, Mark McDowell, Cord Dombrowski and Alan Dombrowski will be among 156 competitors vying for the title of Missouri's top male amateur player. Allen recently shot a 3-over-par 75 and Alan Dombrowski a 76 at The Players Club in Crescent, Mo., while McDowell carded a 2-over-par 73 and Cord Dombrowski a 74 last week at the Ozark Ridge Golf Course in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

"We'll miss the unofficial opening, but maybe we'll be representing the club well," said Cord Dombrowski, a member of Dalhousie's ownership group.

There's no easy path to becoming the top amateur in the state.

The Missouri Amateur Championship will open with two 18-hole rounds, which will trim the field to the lowest 64 players, who are all seeded according to their finish in medal play. The real fun will begin with six rounds of pressure-packed match play over four days. If a player is lucky enough to reach the round of 32, he'll be confronted with the possibility of playing 36 holes a day on each of the final three days. The championship match is a 36-hole showdown. As in all USGA events, players must walk the course, which can be a chore in itself should temperatures soar.

Allen, 39, who operates Golf Mart in Cape Girardeau, has qualified for the Missouri Amateur the past three years since moving to Jackson, Mo., from Albany, Ga., in 1998. A former University of Kentucky golfer, he's reached match play on each occasion -- second in medal play in 1999 -- and won his opening match, but has never made it to the round of 16.

Cord Dombrowski, 54, will make his fifth appearance, but his first in 10 years and the first with his younger brother, Alan.

"To make the amateur-play qualifying at 54 is a pretty good treat," Dombrowski said.

Dombrowski has never reached the match-play portion.

Alan Dombrowski, 42, of St. Louis will compete for the second time and McDowell of Cape Girardeau will make his second appearance after qualifying last year. Neither has reached match play in their previous appearance.

Also qualifying from the area is Chris Curtis, who lives in Olive Branch, Ill., and works at Arena Golf in Cape Girardeau. Curtis, 32, qualified for the third time at The Players Club and will look to advance to match play for the first time.

Bryan Johnson of Thayer, Mo., who recently completed his senior season on the Southeast Missouri State University golf team, will also compete under an exemption after reaching the match-play semifinals last year.

Others area competitors in the field: Ron Williams of Sikeston, Mo.; Robert Godwin, Ben Godwin and Ben Brumitt of Poplar Bluff, Mo.; Kyle Christian of Dexter, Mo.; and Bret Mercead of Bonne Terre, Mo.

Dalhousie's public opening

Dombrowski said Dalhousie will officially open to the public on July 1. The 18-hole, Gary Nicklaus designed course will be available for public play until Labor Day.

Miller wins at Kimbeland

Vicki Miller earned the medalist honor at the Kimbeland Ladies Golf Association's weekly event.

Play of the day was "throw out two holes." Miller won "A" flight, Maggie Niswonger topped "B" and Connie Nesslein finished first in "C".

In the two-lady scramble Saturday, Lillian Schneider and Sharon McCune won by two strokes with a 69.

Kimbeland members Betty Belote, Peggy Fee, Harriet Drusch and Barb Johnson won championship flight at Charleston Country Club's annual four-lady scramble.

Williams leads Chip-A-Ways

Linda Williams won "A" flight at the Chip-A-Ways' outing last week at Cape Jaycee Municipal Golf Course.

Bev Wink finished first in "B" flight. Sharon Dow won Play of the Day and Waunita VanDyke posted the low-putt total.