MUKILTEO — The past two years Jacob Rohde had to settle for a runner-up finish at the Snohomish County Amateur golf tournament.
This year he’s positioned himself to finally get over the hump.
Rohde moved into the lead heading into the final round of the 88th Snohomish County Amateur, shooting a 2-under-par 70 during Sunday’s second round at Harbour Pointe Golf Club.
“Today was a lot better than yesterday,” Rohde said, referring to his 2-under 71 on Saturday at Battle Creek Golf Course that left him tied for second. “I hit the ball a lot better. I probably left a few out there I could probably have made. But I capitalized on my wedges today.”
Rohde, a 40-year-old from Everett, is 4-under after two rounds, which gives him a two-stroke lead over Joel Micka, who matched Rohde’s 70 for the low round of the day. Jordan Brajcich shot a 1-over 73 and is in third at 1-under for the tournament. Those three will comprise the final threesome for Monday’s final round at Walter Hall Golf Course in Everett.
The leader after one round, Halen Davis, shot a 5-over 77 Sunday to drop into fourth at 1-over. Davis reached 7-under after a birdieing No. 10, but he triple-bogeyed No. 17 and double-bogeyed No. 18 for a disastrous finish to his round.
Davis’ slip opened the door for Rohde, who finished two strokes behind champion Kevin Beavers each of the past two years. Rohde began his round in ominous fashion by bogeying No. 1. But he was flawless the rest of the way, recording three birdies and no bogeys over the final 17 holes.
“I started off tentatively, just wasn’t sure how it was going to go,” Rohde said. “I three-putted the first hole, then after that kind of let it go and made some good swings. The second hole was a little rough, I hit a half-crappy tee shot and made a good solid 9-footer for par. Once I hit my tee shots on 3 and 4 everything melted away and made it a lot easier.”
Rohde will be playing on his home course when Monday’s final round commences at Walter Hall.
“Walter Hall is going to be anyone’s game,” Rohde said. “Anyone could go low. The course is a lot easier, a lot shorter, so if someone feels they can capitalize they’ll feel pretty good. I feel confident in my game. I feel if I can shoot another couple under, so someone is going to have to chase me to get it.”
Micka, a 30-year-old from Everett who plays out of Legion Memorial, is more familiar with poker tournaments than golf tournaments — the professional poker player is playing in his first County Am. He notched six birdies against four bogeys in recording his 70 Sunday.
“I played well, I didn’t really make too many mistakes, so I can’t really complain about that,” Micka said. “I hit the ball well, putted well. Nothing great, nothing terrible.
“I feel good about my position,” Micka added. “I don’t play too many golf tournaments. I’ve never really been in the lead or in contention in a tournament, so it should be interesting.”
Brajcich, a 19-year-old from Mill Creek who plays out of SuperRange, shot his second consecutive solid round. Brajcich, a Jackson High School graduate who just finished his freshman year at Pacific Lutheran University, was 3-over on the front nine. However, a well-executed shot out of the trees on No. 10 set up a birdie and turned his round as he was 2-under on the back nine.
“I thought it was a tale of two nines,” Brajcich said. “The front nine I was hitting it really well but got unlucky on both par 3s, just had a hard lip-out on 3 and on 7 I went in the water and made double. But I battled back on the back nine, birdied the last two holes. I definitely thought I could have gone a lot better, but I’m happy with 73.”
Davis may have been distracted by his other commitments Sunday. Immediately upon finishing his round, Davis, a 22-year-old from Lake Stevens who plays out of Walter Hall and also for the University of Fraser Valley men’s golf team, hopped into his car to drive to Sumas, B.C., to play a practice round for the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. Davis is required to register for the Canadian Amateur at 9 a.m. Monday, meaning he’ll have a race to make it to Walter Hall for his 10:39 a.m. tee time.
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2018 Snohomish County Amateur
After Sunday’s second round
Flight 1 (+4.0 to 4.9)
Round 1 at Battle Creek
Yardage: 6,536; Par 73
Round 2 at Harbour Pointe
Yardage: 6,597; Par 72
Gross Scores
Jacob Rohde, WH 71-70—141
Joel Micka, LM 73-70—143
Jordan Brajcich, SR 71-73—144
Halen Davis, WH 69-77—146
Patrick Boag, EGCC 77-71—148
Kris Jackson, HP 77-72—149
David Hansen, Jor 75-75—150
Ty Cannon, Ken 77-75—152
Chris Hatch, HP 78-74—152
Mark Strickland, HP 81-73—154
Richard Slikker, HP 81-75—156
Mark Stephenson, PGD 78-79—157
Cody Oakes, Glen 81-78—159
Jeff Strickland, EGCC 78-81—159
Drew Preston, Ced 82-78—160
Chase Anderson, KP 80-80—160
Mark Johnson, Jor 80-82—162
Scott Rohlinger, LM 83-80—163
Justin Duplantis, PGD 84-79—163
Duane Diede, EGCC 84-79—163
Tyler Spalti, EGCC 81-82—163
Travis Loukusa, HP 84-81—165
Mike Seek, EGCC 81-87—168
Brayden Webb, BC 86-83—169
Chase Gardner, MC 80-90—170
Cameron Klundt, BC 86-85—171
Dennis Diede, EGCC 86-85—171
Chris Giesker, WH 86-85—171
Dan Frost, PGD 90-84—173
Branden Hayward, Sno 91-86—177
Cody Sigvartson, WH 91-94—185
Scott Hinrichs, WH 101-93—194
Flight 2 (5.0 to 9.9)
Round 1 at Battle Creek
Yardage: 6,153; Par 73
Round 2 at Harbour Pointe
Yardage: 6,055; Par 72
Net Scores
Nick Rockey, EF 68-70—138
Kevin Coghill, Glen 69-76—145
Nick Dammann, EGCC 70-75—145
Brien Hansen, LM 71-74—145
Doug Barlow, EF 73-72—145
Brett Engstrom, WH 73-72—145
Cole Weiderstrom, BC 75-70—145
Derik Millich, BC 74-74—148
Steve Laue, WH 75-74—149
Brendan Doheny, WH 76-76—152
Martin Seguin, WH 74-79—153
Mike Grady, MC 78-75—153
Andrew Austin, MC 80-78—158
Cameron Metcalfe, HP 76-84—160
Cory Christianson, EF 81-79—160
Lance Gatter, BC 78-84—162
Ben Headland, LM 84-79—163
Sung Kim, LM 83-84—167
Flight 3 (10.0 to 18.0)
Round 1 at Battle Creek
Yardage: 6,153; Par 73
Round 2 at Harbour Pointe
Yardage: 6,055; Par 72
Net Scores
Steve Walsh, BC 67-67—134
Matt Harper, PGD 73-66—139
Bob Wallin, BC 72-74—146
Van Luu, WH 71-82—153
Darrell Stubblefield, Sno 76-77—153
David Betz, SR 77-79—156
Richard Haataja, SR 78-78—156
Tom Desmarais, LM 78-80—158
Stephen Reed, Jor 80-78—158
Greg Guest, WH 84-82—166
Greg Quinn, Lynn 83-90—173
Reese Jorgensen, MC 89-85—174
Nawoo Choi, WH 88-87—175
Will Gamroth, BC 92-83—175
Paul Lill, LM 74-102—176
Key: BC—Battle Creek; Ced—Cedarcrest; EF—Echo Falls; EGCC—Everett Golf & Country Club; Glen—Gleneagle; HP—Harbour Pointe; KP—Kayak Point; Jor—Jorgensen’s; Ken—Kenwanda; LM—Legion Memorial; Lynn—Lynnwood; MC—Mill Creek Country Club; PGD—Pro Golf Discount; Sno—Snohomish; SR—SuperRange; WH—Walter Hall.
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