Gillespie Holds Two Shot Lead at Greater Toronto Open
Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:43:22
The 24-year-old carded a 3-under 68 Friday for a 36 hole total of 9-under 133 and a two-shot lead over Mike Grob of Billings, MT. Americans Conrad Ray and Jarrod Warner are at 6-under 136 while four others, including Canadians Martin Price (Collingwood, ON) and Jim Rutledge (Victoria, BC), are four shots off the lead.
A total of 72 players shot 1-over or better to make the cut. It should be a wild final weekend to the 2002 Canadian Tour season, with plenty at stake for those near the top of the money list. With Jeff Quinney, who came into this week second on Order of Merit, missing the cut, Hank Kuehne clinches the money title. It also leaves the door open for Gillespie, who would nail down second spot with a win and join Kuehne as Tour players exempted into the second stage of PGA Tour Qualifying. Steve Scott (3rd) and Mike Grob (5th) will also have plenty to play for this weekend. The top three from the Order of Merit, plus the next two Canadians, will receive exemptions into the Bell Canadian Open and Air Canada Championship.
"With Jeff missing the cut, it is a big opportunity for me, but I still have to play tomorrow, so first things first," said Gillespie. "I can't get into looking too far ahead or over my shoulder or it will take me off my game."
With a triumph at the Myrtle Beach Barefoot Championship already under his belt this season, Gillespie should get a big boost from the hometown crowd this weekend. And as little as he is talking about it right now, he would love to get the free pass into the second of three stages of PGA Qualifying, which gets underway later this fall.
"Q-school can be tough, you have one bad week, one bad hole, and it can cost you a whole year. That's just the way it is. So the chance is there for me this weekend, and that is all I can ask. It would mean a lot to get it done at home, but I won't put any pressure on myself."
Grob, who opened with an even-par 71 Thursday, equalled the Mandarin G&CC course record with a 7 under 64 Friday and may want to consider picking up his wife and daughters and moving them to Ontario. Earlier this summer, he won his third career Tour title at the Ontario Open Heritage Classic in Huntsville and he looks to be in position to improve on his fifth place standing on the money list.
"It was a lot of fun out there today," admitted Grob, who spent the past three years on the Buy.com Tour. "I like Ontario a lot, there are some fantastic courses here and I really feel at home. I really want to finish in the top three and if I can do it, it would really be icing on the cake. But all I can do is go out and play my game and not be affected about how anyone else is doing."
Kuehne will head into Saturday at 4-under and well within striking distance for his third win of the year. Should he win here, Kuehne would set a Tour record for most money won in one season. Trevor Dodds of Namibia currently holds the mark, earning $129,158 back in 1996.
Scores Friday after the second round of the Canadian Tour's $150,000 Greater Toronto Open played at the 6722-yard, par-71 Mandarin G&CC (A-denotes amateur):
1 Gillespie, Derek Oshawa, ON 65-68_133 -9
2 Grob, Mike Billings, MT 71-64_135 -7
3 Ray, Conrad Hilton Head, SC 68-68_136 -6
3 Warner, Jarrod Phoenix, AZ 66-70_136 -6
5 Howser, David Cordova, TN 69-68_137 -5
5 Kirk, Michael South Africa 65-72_137 -5
5 Price, Martin Collingwood, ON 69-68_137 -5
5 Rutledge, Jim Victoria, BC 67-70_137 -5
9 Belbin, Mike Sherwood Park, AB 69-69_138 -4
9 Drewery, Jonn Cambridge, ON 68-70_138 -4
9 Faught, David South Africa 69-69_138 -4
9 Hamilton, Robert Carmichael, CA 66-72_138 -4
9 Kuehne, Hank Palm Beach, FL 71-67_138 -4
9 Payne, Brian Chicago, IL 69-69_138 -4
15 Abbott, Matthew Endwell, NY 72-67_139 -3
15 Anderson, Stuart Ft. McMurray, AB 73-66_139 -3
15 Barber, Aaron Minneapolis, MN 68-71_139 -3
15 Hearn, David Brantford, ON 70-69_139 -3
15 Hinds, Jerry Orillia, ON 66-73_139 -3
15 Johnson, Rob Terre Haute, IN 71-68_139 -3
15 Locker, Chris Columbia, SC 71-68_139 -3
15 Scott, Steve Royal Palm Beach, FL 70-69_139 -3
15 Veress, Zoltan Kitchener, ON 67-72_139 -3
15 Wollmann, Chris Strongsville, OH 70-69_139 -3
15 Wright, Bryan Stanberry, MO 71-68_139 -3
26 Doohan, Todd Sarnia, ON 71-69_140 -2
26 Fukushima, Kent Grande Prairie, AB 70-70_140 -2
26 McKenzie, David Australia 67-73_140 -2
26 Pelczarski, Daniel Pittsburgh, PA 69-71_140 -2
26 Riedel, Dennis St. Clair, MI 71-69_140 -2
26 Welder, Jamie Calgary, AB 67-73_140 -2
32 Christensen, Dave Elk River, MN 73-68_141 -1
32 Corcoran, Rob South Windsor, CT 67-74_141 -1
32 DeCorso, Bryan Guelph, ON 70-71_141 -1
32 Johnson, Andy Orlando, FL 70-71_141 -1
32 Mackenzie, Will Greenville, NC 67-74_141 -1
32 Paniccia, Danny Fresno, CA 68-73_141 -1
32 Quiroz, Alex Mexico 68-73_141 -1
32 Woodard, Stephen Charlotte, NC 68-73_141 -1
40 Belbin, Chad Kamloops, BC 74-68_142 Even
40 Bock, Duane Morganton, NC 74-68_142 Even
40 Buttar, Blair Leduc, AB 70-72_142 Even
40 Corral, Jorge Mexico 73-69_142 Even
40 Duke, Ken Boca Raton, FL 66-76_142 Even
40 Hood, Scott Aurora, ON 71-71_142 Even
40 Marseilles, Craig Maple, ON 74-68_142 Even
40 McMillan, Rob Winnipeg, MB 67-75_142 Even
40 Nelson, Birk Portland, OR 72-70_142 Even
40 Pettitt, Ben Coral Springs, FL 71-71_142 Even
40 Scaletta, Paul Richmond, VA 71-71_142 Even
40 Sutterfield, Brad St. George, UT 72-70_142 Even
40 Tiziani, Mario Chanhassen, MN 70-72_142 Even
53 Bohn, Jason Atlanta, GA 72-71_143 1
53 Devenport, Paul New Zealand 71-72_143 1
53 Enloe, Jason Dallas, TX 71-72_143 1
53 Ford, Scott Lake Worth, FL 74-69_143 1
53 Gentry, Brian Tahoe City, CA 73-70_143 1
53 Harris, Michael Troy, MI 71-72_143 1
53 Harrison, Roger Calgary, AB 69-74_143 1
53 Heffernan, Wes Calgary, AB 72-71_143 1
53 Jonas, Philip Vancouver, BC 70-73_143 1
53 LaBelle, Doug Mt. Pleasant, MI 71-72_143 1
53 Lee, Eddy Corona, CA 69-74_143 1
53 Martin, Wes Calgary, AB 71-72_143 1
53 McCann, Brian Mississauga, ON 72-71_143 1
53 McGuigan, Doug Langley, BC 70-73_143 1
53 Parry, Bryn North Vancouver, BC 69-74_143 1
53 Smith, Neale Australia 74-69_143 1
53 Steel, Iain Malaysia 72-71_143 1
53 Unk, Brian Cuyahoga Falls, OH 70-73_143 1
53 Valentin, Jerome France 72-71_143 1
53 Zwemke, Zane Aurora, CO 71-72_143 1
The following players missed the cut:
73 Butcher, Rodney Tampa, FL 74-70_144 2
73 Chinner, Ashley Toronto, ON 75-69_144 2
73 Correa, Larry San Diego, CA 69-75_144 2
73 Crouse, Eric Windham, ME 73-71_144 2
73 Gibbs, Jonathan Boise, ID 73-71_144 2
73 Kalinowski, Bobby Scottsdale, AZ 72-72_144 2
73 Massey, Rich Harrington Park, NJ 74-70_144 2
73 Maunder, Eddie Whitby, ON 69-75_144 2
73 Pleis, Steve Parrish, FL 72-72_144 2
73 Rocha, Alex Brazil 73-71_144 2
73 Short, Kerry Vineland, ON 71-73_144 2
73 Symons, Drew Woodstock, ON 72-72_144 2
73 Wood, Jeff Fortuna, CA 75-69_144 2
86 Conrad, Bob Seattle, WA 68-77_145 3
86 Quinney, Jeff Scottsdale, AZ 71-74_145 3
86 Webb, Brennan Bracebridge, ON 70-75_145 3
89 Dillon, Ryan Aiken, SC 74-72_146 4
89 Goti, Ramiro Argentina 72-74_146 4
89 Mathis, David Raleigh, NC 73-73_146 4
89 Woodcock, Mike Chatam, ON 73-73_146 4
93 Chartrand, Dan Victoria, BC 69-78_147 5
93 Chilenskas, Matthew Mamaroneck, NY 74-73_147 5
93 Chilton, Gord Markham, ON 73-74_147 5
93 Fritsch, Brad Manotick, ON 73-74_147 5
93 Greenwood, Chris Valdese, NC 69-78_147 5
93 Griff, Darren Salt Spring Island, BC 73-74_147 5
93 Matthew, Craig Ile Bizard, QC 70-77_147 5
93 Mijovic, Danny Toronto, ON 73-74_147 5
93 Spallone, Sal Vero Beach, FL 74-73_147 5
102 Bingham, Brett Red Deer, AB 72-76_148 6
102 Doig, Ian Newmarket, ON 72-76_148 6
102 Hendershott, Dennis Brantford, ON 72-76_148 6
102 Parker, Perry Dana Point, CA 75-73_148 6
102 Turpen, Tim West Palm Beach, FL 72-76_148 6
102 Wall, Chris Dallas, TX 72-76_148 6
102 Walsh, Billy Unionville, ON 73-75_148 6
109 Flugstad, Brian Seattle, WA 74-75_149 7
109 Gutschewski, Scott Omaha, NE 80-69_149 7
109 Kral, Scotty Victoria, BC 75-74_149 7
109 Snelling, Justin Boise, ID 71-78_149 7
109 Sobottka, Paul (A) Thornhill, ON 75-74_149 7
114 Ayers, Dirk Sarasota, FL 79-71_150 8
114 Halldorson, Dan Brandon, MB 76-74_150 8
114 Ilic, Eric Chicago, IL 72-78_150 8
114 Matyczuk, Davidson Thunder Bay, ON 78-72_150 8
114 Petty, Mayson Charlotte, NC 75-75_150 8
119 Daniel, Matt Richmond, BC 77-74_151 9
119 Davey, Steve Pacific Grove, CA 76-75_151 9
119 Fisher, Jason Bakersfield, CA 79-72_151 9
119 Johnson, Mark Helendale, CA 73-78_151 9
119 Sung, Steve Markham, ON 75-76_151 9
124 Burns, Gordon Scarborough, ON 76-76_152 10
124 Kureluk, Jamie Calgary, AB 73-79_152 10
124 Saltus, Bryan Costa Mesa, CA 80-72_152 10
127 Beauchemin, Bob Brampton, ON 77-76_153 11
127 Blais, Jerome Sherbrooke, QC 75-78_153 11
127 Karr, Jim Jupiter, FL 80-73_153 11
127 Kovacs, Kyle Sherman Oaks, CA 78-75_153 11
127 Stinson, Kyle Edmonton, AB 74-79_153 11
127 Yeung, Alvin (A) Markham, ON 76-77_153 11
133 Edwards, Jamie Kincardine, ON 79-75_154 12
133 Reinhart, Dwight Renfrew, ON 78-76_154 12
133 Short, Adam Vineland, ON 76-78_154 12
133 Springer, Jerry West Palm Beach, FL 77-77_154 12
137 Lippert, Eric Monterey, CA 83-72_155 13
137 Miskolczi, Terry Toronto, ON 77-78_155 13
139 Kennedy, Dean Vancouver, BC 82-74_156 14
140 Scott, Drew Pinehurst, NC 80-77_157 15
140 Sealy, Craig Pickering, Ont. 79-78_157 15
142 Brunson, Daniel Greenville, SC 81-77_158 16
142 Goetze, Nick Tampa, FL 79-79_158 16
142 Lewis, Greg Dundas, ON 78-80_158 16
145 Gerrard, Todd (A) Markham, ON 78-81_159 17
146 Hegler, Graham London, ON 77-83_160 18
147 Greville, Jeremy Hamilton, ON 82-79_161 19
147 Trenholme, Jamie Aurora, ON 79-82_161 19
149 Pashko, Dave Richmond Hill, ON 82-80_162 20
150 Church, Dan North York, ON 77-87_164 22
151 Colwell, John Toronto, ON 86-84_170 28
Yamanaka, Moto Norwalk, CA GW/D
Driscoll, James Brookline, MA 72 GW/D
Voska, Kyle Orlando, FL 79 GW/D
Smith, Tony Clovis, CA DQ
Krieger, Ty Edina, MN 71 DQ
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