By Jeff Johncox
The Norman Transcript
NORMAN — It’s been a busy week for Gene Black.
The Austin, Texas, resident drove up to Oklahoma City on Monday to spend a week with family, and he didn’t get a chance to pick up a club all week until the Norman City Championship’s first round at the The Trails Golf Club Friday morning.
Black put up a 68 on one of the area’s toughest courses to take the early lead, then followed it with a matching score Saturday at Westwood Park Golf Course.
His two-round 136 is good enough for a two-shot lead in the Championship Flight heading into today’s final round at the OU Jimmie Austin Golf Club.
After the round was over, he had to return to Oklahoma City for his father’s birthday party.
“It’s been a very busy week,” Black said. “I didn’t putt well today. Three birdies and a bogey out there isn’t what I’d consider a great round. I put myself in position on some holes, but couldn’t get it in.”
Brad Purcell put up a 68 of his own in the second round, keeping control of second place. He sits two shots back at 138, one shot ahead of former Norman North golfer Brandon Bell, who also carded a 68 Saturday.
The low round of the day belonged to Jeff Morris. Morris had a rough time at The Trails, finishing with a 77, but bounced back with a 67 at Westwood and he sits in fifth place. Travis Keeley’s matching 71s at The Trails and Westwood have him in fourth place at 142.
“If you’re right there on the back nine, a lot of things can happen,” Black said of today’s final round. “I’ve been doing this for a long time. Hopefully, we’re all still right there tomorrow. That’s the good thing about finishing up at Jimmie Austin, it’s going to show off some good talent.”
Black didn’t have the slow start he had at The Trails. But his roller-coaster round kept him at the top of the leader board.
After two rounds, he’s happy to have the lead, but much happier just to be playing better golf than he was a week ago, when he carded back-to-back 80-plus rounds in a tournament in Texas.
“It’s the exact opposite of last weekend,” Black said. “You have two rounds like that, you think, ‘Maybe I need to take up bowling.’”
The lanes will have to wait, though.
Black’s two 68s have him in prime position to win the tournament. He grew up playing at Jimmie Austin, but hasn’t been back in a long time, not since it was reconstructed.
He tried qualifying for the Publinx tournament last year at the course, but he missed some shots on the final holes and wasn’t able to.
“I played out there all the time back in the 70s, before they redid it,” Black said. “I have a lot of great memories out there.”
The greens at Jimmie Austin are quicker than the players have seen so far in the tournament. And the course is long with some tough rough.
Going into the final day, the pressure’s on Black to put it away.
“If anybody tells you they’re not feeling pressure, they’re lying to you,” he said. “When you tee it up, you don’t really think about it. After the turn, you kind of assess where everyone is. It doesn’t matter if it’s a title like this or a big, state event. You just feel more nervous than normal. But that’s just playing competitive golf.”
Greg England took over first place in the Augusta Flight with a second-round 70. His two-round score of 147 is two shots better than the first-round leader, Andre Metzger, who shot a 73 Saturday. Onder Pulat shot a 72 at Westwood and is three shots back.
In the Pebble Beach Flight, Chris Roth jumped first-round leader Ryan Clark thanks to a second-round 76. He’s at 155 after two rounds. Clark is one shot back after a second-round 79, and Jared Giddens (84, 77) and Charles Wadsack (81, 80) sit at 161.
Steve Heck and Gregg Coffman are still tied at the top of the handicap-adjusted Pinehurst Flight. Both shot 68s Saturday after matching 70s at The Trails. They’re five shots better than Jeff Fugate, who had a second-round 67.
The final round tees off 8 a.m.
Jeff Johncox 366-3535 jjohncox@normantranscript.com
