Dan Neubecker earned his accolades on a muggy Saturday afternoon.
Last year’s Super Senior City Golf Tournament runner-up tore through Cascades Golf Course for a bogey-free, 5-under 66 to take a seven-shot lead through the first round of this year’s qualifying tournament.
“I’d say that putt on 14 (for eagle) was a highlight,” Neubecker said of the 25-footer from the fringe that hit bottom. “I missed a three-footer on 13 or it could have been better. Everything seemed to be working, so it’s a joy when that happens.”
Five others also broke par, though two of them came from defending champs, who are exempt from qualifying and already own the No. 1 seed when match play begins. For now, the second round tees off Sunday with Seniors from 7:30-8:20 a.m, followed by Super Seniors (8:30-9:10) and Men’s competitors (9:30-10:40).
Chris Williams leads the field in the Men’s division with a 69, taking the lead with a 20-footer on 18 to finish up. Just one shot behind are Simon Deliyannis and Anthony Robertson. Jason Storm and former champ Mitch Oard are three back at 72 while Logan Vernon had a 73.
“Just steady play and good putting,” said Williams, who had a strong back nine with birdies on 12 and 14 as well. “My approaches were bad. I hit good tee shots, I just wasn’t good around the greens but I putted well.”
Two-time defending champ Jason Bannister got in a 67 to continue his strong run of play this summer.
Multi-time champ Ike Martin is next in the Super Senior standings with a 73, with Dave Devitt and Mike Vernon next with 75s. Two-time defending champ Rory Brown showed he’s not going anywhere with a 68, powered by five birdies.
In the Seniors, Tim Gillespie is on top with an opening-round 72, then come Brad Leach and Darrin Fuller at 74. Edgewood golf coach Garry Lee had a 75 with three, Gary EuDaly, Charles Combs and Troy Gillespie, tied at 76.
The cut line for Men’s currently stands at 78 (two-way tie for last spot) with four tied at 79. A 79 holds 15th in the Seniors and there’s a five-way tie for 11th in the Super Seniors at 79.
BLOOMINGTON CITY GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER
At Cascades (*defending champ)
MEN’S: *Jason Bannister 67; Chris Williams 69; Simon Deliyannis 70; Anthony Robertson 70; Jason Storm 72; Mitch Oard 72; Logan Vernon 73; Sam Wise 74; Brad McLaughlin 74; Justin Stacks 75; Justin Fox 76; Brayden Bunger 76; Hunter Desilets 76; Robert Wise 77; Marc Guyer 78; Matt Newman 78; Zach Sykes 79; Randy Lientz 79; Chad Stoute 79; Jake Miller 79; Brian Wise 81; Jeff Nelson 81; Jeremy Wise 81; Brad Scroggins 82; Cole Truebool 84; Daniel Melwid 84; Young Oh 85; Tyler Baker 85; Bryan Fyalkowski 86; David Tiwari 87; Brandon Chambers 95; Connor Byon WD.
SENIORS: Tim Gillespie 72; *Jim Alexander 73; Brad Leach 74; Darren Fuller 74; Garry Lee 75; Gary EuDaly 76; Charles Combs 76; Troy Gillespie 76; Chad Osborne 76; Charles Osborne 77; Matt Till 78; Bill Kelson 78; Joe Davis 78; Ross Grimes 78; Chuck Vernon 79; Rick Scheid 80; Jeff Harrington 82; Lance Ringler 83; Ken Wilson 88; Burke Geene 88; Matthew Grubb 89. Jon Hunt WD; Matthew Seifers WD; Dan Smith WD.
SUPER SENIORS: Dan Neubecker 66; Rory Brown 68; Ike Martin 73; Dave Devitt 75; Mike Vernon 75; Joe Beane 76; Dick Meacham 76; Robin Harper 77; Fred Cooksey 77; Tom Smith 77; Roger Rainbolt 79; Don Chastain 79; Steve Hinds 79; Jeff Smith 79; Gary Blackwell 79; Brian Werth 83; Brett Daniels 84; Marty Hutsell 85; Steve Stanger 87; Jan Bond 90.
SUNDAY TEE TIMES
SENIORS
7:30 a.m.: Rick Scneid, Ken Wilson, Burke Geene, Matthew Grubb; 7:40: Chuck Vernon, Jeff Harrington, Lance Ringler; 7:50: Bill Kelson, Joe Davis, Ross Grimes; 8:00: Chad Osborne, Charles Osborne, Matt Till; 8:10: Garry Lee, Gary EuDaly, Charles Combs, Troy Gillespie; 8:20: Tim Gillespie, Jim Alexander, Brad Leach, Darren Fuller
SUPER SENIORS
8:30: Brett Daniels, Marty Hutsell, Steve Stanger, Jan Bond; 8:40: Steve Hinds, Jeff Smith, Gary Blackwell, Brian Werth; 8:50: Fred Cooksey, Tom Smith, Roger Rainbolt, Don Chastain; 9:00: Mike Vernon, Joe Beane, Dick Meacham, Robin Harper; 9:10: Dan Neubecker, *Rory Brown, Ike Martin, Dave Devitt.
MEN’S
9:30: Bryan Fyalkowski, David Tiwari, Brand Chambers; 9:40: Cole Trueblood, Daniel Melwid, Young Oh, Tyler Baker; 9:50: Brian Wise, Jeff Nelson, Jeremy Wise, Brad Scroggins; 10:00: Zach Sykes, Randy Lientz, Chad Stoute, Jake Miller; 10:10: Hunter Desilets, Robert Wise, Marc Guyer, Matt Newman; 10:20: Brad McLaughlin, Justin Stacks, Justin Fox, Brayden Bunger; 10:30: Jason Storm, Mitch Oard, Logan Vernon, Sam Wise; 10:40: *Jason Bannister, Chris Williams, Simon Deliyannis, Anthony Robertson.