Barhonovich leads after first day of Snohomish County Am

Published 6:34 pm Saturday, May 23, 2009

EVERETT — Though several tournament old-timers are lurking nearby, still very much in contention, Saturday’s opening round of the 79th annual Snohomish County Amateur belonged to the kids.

Brian Barhonovich, a 20-year-year member of the Western Washington University golf team, nabbed the first-day lead with a 2-under-par round of 70.

One stroke back was Reid Martin, a 17-year-old senior at Kamiak High School.

Alex Stamey, Todd Tibke and Bob Burton, who have 11 County Am wins between them, are all within three shots of the lead as the tournament shifts today to Marysville’s Cedarcrest Golf Course.

Barhonovich, a 2007 graduate of Everett High School, was steady throughout the day, putting together a round of three birdies and one bogey over the sun-splashed fairways at Legion Memorial Golf Course. Barhonovich, from Everett Golf and Country Club, was 2 under at the turn and then added another birdie at No. 10 before giving a stroke back at No.14.

“I played pretty well,” he said. “I hit the ball pretty solid. I missed a couple of putts, but overall I’m pretty satisfied.”

This is his fourth County Am appearance, and in earlier years “I haven’t played that well,” Barhonovich admitted. “So I’m really excited. I’m happy to get off to a good start this year.”

So is Martin, who represents Mukilteo’s Harbour Pointe Golf Club. Martin, the defending high school Class 4A state medalist _ he will defend his crown at next week’s 2009 tournament _ had a round of four birdies and three bogeys.

“I scrapped it around,” said Martin, who will attend the University of Central Florida on a golf scholarship next year. “I didn’t really hit it that great and I left some putts out there. But overall it was pretty good. I ended up with a decent score.”

Stamey, the two-time defending champion with four career County Am wins, had a round of two birdies and three bogeys on his way to a 1-over 73. With a win this year, Stamey would tie Bob Whisman for the most County Am titles in history and tie Burton as the only players to win three straight County Ams.

Stamey was 1-under through 13 holes, but took bogeys on two of the last five holes.

“At the start of the day I’d have loved to have shot in the 2-under, 1-under range,” said the 45-year-old Stamey. “So I’d like to be a little lower. but 1-over is not too bad. I’m in the thick of it.”

Tibke, who is also seeking his fifth County Am victory, and Burton, who is trying for his fourth, are among four players knotted at even-par 72.

Burton competed at the Pacific Northwest Golf Association Men’s Master-40 Championship in Chase, B.C., earlier this week, playing seven rounds in five days. He won Friday’s match-play final in the early afternoon, made the long drive back to Everett for a few hours of sleep, and then teed off shortly before 7 a.m. on Saturday.

“I am really tired,” admitted the 55-year-old Burton, who always walks and always carries his own bag. “I’m getting too old to carry my bag and do all that,” he added with a smile.

Burton was not the only weary golfer on Saturday. Jake Koppenberg, a 22-year-old senior at Western Washington, played in this week’s NCAA Division II National Championships at Blaine’s Loomis Trail Golf Club, which ended on Friday. Like Burton, he then drove to Everett for an early County Am start time on Saturday.

Koppenberg finished with a 2-over round of 74.

The day had an unfortunate ending for Matt Epstein of EG&CC, a member of the Bellevue Community College golf team and the low handicap in the field at +3.3. He signed an incorrect scorecard after a round of 76 and was disqualified.

In the second division, for players with handicaps between 5.1 and 10.7, Chris Baker of Cedarcrest was the leader on his home course with a low-net 64, one stroke better than Carl Everts of Everett’s Walter Hall Golf Course and Chad Thomson of Marysville’s Battle Creek Golf Course.

The third division, for players with handicaps of 10.8 and higher, also played its first round at Cedarcrest. Jay Snyder of Battle Creek was the low-net leader with a 63, two strokes better than Legion Memorial’s Dale Ingrum.