Hultman takes lead into final round at Bay Mills

NEWS RELEASE

CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL GOLF TOUR

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It's Crunch Time In Michigan

by Marty Henwood

August 28, 2005 -- BRIMLEY, Mich.--There is plenty on the line today during the final round of the Bay Mills Open Players Championship. The Golf Channel will feature live coverage beginning at 1 pm Eastern.

Anders Hultman overcame both a lengthy weather delay and a shaky start Saturday and will go in search of his second Canadian Tour title as he takes the lead into the final round of the Bay Mills Open Players Championship.

The 26-year-old Swede holds on to a one-shot cushion heading into Sunday’s final round after a 1-over 73 at an unforgiving Wild Bluff Golf Club. Following three trips around the 7,101-yard track, Hultman has an 8-under 208 total, one shot in front of local favourite Michael Harris.

Paul Danielson bogeyed his final hole of the day to fall two back while Mike Grob is at 5-under 211.

Canadian Matt McQuillan is part of a logjam at minus-4 with Jon Turcott, Peter Tomasulo, Rob Oppenheim and Will Yanagisawa.

With a storm front moving into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, officials halted play just as Hultman, Grob and Oppenheim, the final group of the day, hit their tee shots. The delay lasted nearly two hours and Hultman seemed most affected when action resumed, with bogeys on three of his first six holes.

Hultman got one back with a birdie on the par-5 ninth to turn with a 2-over 38 and stopped the bleeding with another birdie on the eleventh hole. Holding on to a two shot lead late in the day, Hultman bogeyed 15 to drop to seven under. One group ahead, both Harris and Danielson made birdie to pull even.

A bogey-birdie-bogey-birdie run over his final four holes was enough to keep Hultman on top of the leaderboard.

“I’m not sure what happened out there, I just wasn’t in the proper frame of mind to try to win a golf tournament” admitted Hultman, who hit just 10 of 18 greens in regulation. “I’m really happy I still have a chance to take this thing home.

“I need to change something for tomorrow. The mindset just wasn’t right.”

Given the trend he has been setting all year, Danielson must like his chances heading into Sunday. He has been a slow starter most of the season and, despite ten consecutive cuts made, has not been in a position to contend after two rounds. In fact, through the opening two rounds in 2005, Danielson is 6-over par. After Saturday’s round, he is now 32-under playing on the weekend.

Harris had a rollercoaster front side Saturday, with a pair of bogeys and two birdies marking his scorecard as he made the turn. The Troy, Mich. native added three birdies on the inbound nine to stay right on Hultman’s heels.

Earlier this month, Harris placed second to Peter Tomasulo at the Montreal Open, marking his fifth career runner-up showing. If he is to break into the win column, this would be the week to do it. Not only would his first triumph come in his home state, but the $32,000 winner’s cheque should move Harris into the top two on the money list and earn him an exemption into the second stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament. Harris currently sits fourth in earnings. Jaime Gomez leads the money list but is mired in 64th spot heading into Sunday, while Tomasulo is second in winnings.

“To be honest, I’m just playing golf,” said Harris, a former Nationwide Tour member and three-time NCAA All-Big Ten Conference selection. “I’m not thinking about the ramifications. Playing in the final group so many times, I figure eventually I’ll get it right.

“I’m just going to out there, have some fun and not think too far ahead.”

After Hultman signed a scorecard that featured five bogeys, four birdies and nine pars, he felt fortunate to still have the lead but reasoned it was just one of those days where things didn’t go his way.

“I had some good bounce backs, which I guess is good for the stats,” said Hultman with a smile “That was the difference. If you are going to do this for a living, you will have days like this.”

The top six on the money list after Sunday will also be exempted into the Bell Canadian Open next month in Vancouver.

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