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How They're Doing: Minnesotans on Pro Tour Money Lists -- April 22
April 22, 2024
By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
INDEPENDENCE, Minn. – The first thing Derek Busby did immediately following his round of 6-under 65 Wednesday at the 117th Trans-Mississippi Amateur Championship at Windsong Farm, was head straight to the driving range.
No stopping for a bite to eat, post-round beverage or even to sit down for a quick breather—Busby went right back to work. The 37-year-old’s attitude would be understandable from someone who might’ve struggled through 36 holes on the bottom half of the leaderboard, but in Busby’s case, he leads by four strokes after 36 holes of play.
“My plan was to continue to work on the things I’ve been working on with my swing,” Busby said Wednesday. “Even though the score was better, the ball-striking wasn’t quite as good today—the putter really saved me.
“I’ll head to the range and try to clean some things up and try to get ready for tomorrow.”
Busby fired a bogey-free 66 to open the championship Tuesday before carding eight birdies against two bogeys Wednesday, to take a four-stroke lead over the University of Denver’s Cal McCoy to Thursday’s third round.
“Yesterday I struck it well and was in complete control,” said Busby, who played his collegiate golf at Louisiana Tech. “I call it smoke and mirrors—I put the ball in good spots, but my caddie worked really hard for me today. He did a great job and kept me thinking clearly. I wasn’t super comfortable over the ball like I was yesterday.
“I got hot again there in the middle and gassed [birdie putt on 15] by and missed it coming back. I just didn’t control my pacing very well on that putt, but other than that, I’m very pleased with the score.”
Starting on the 10th tee Wednesday, Busby was tested immediately and managed to save par at the 191-yard par-3 to remain at 5-under for the tournament.
“We started on 10 today and it was a really tough tee shot out of the gate," said Busby, who has played holes 10 through 18 in 8-under par through 36 holes this week. “You always hear it in golf, but it’s always the par savers that keep the momentum going. I made a 6-footer for par there and that really set the tone.”
The Ruston, La., native carded four consecutive birdies to grab the outright lead at 9-under before he was slowed by a bogey at the 15th. Busby countered by rolling in his birdie chance at the 17th to turn in 9-under once again.
A three-putt at the second resulted in Busby’s second bogey of the round, but on the ensuing hole, Busby hit driver to the green’s edge and two-putted from 60 feet for his sixth birdie of the round. After converting his birdie putt at the eighth, Busby rolled in one last birdie from eight feet at the ninth to take the 36-hole lead at 11-under 131.
“We had a cross wind for the first 13 or 14 holes. I never felt like I could let it go, but I picked a couple of spots today, got aggressive today and it paid off,” Busby said.
McCoy, a soon-to-be senior from Highlands Ranch, Colo., opened the championship with a 2-under 69 Tuesday before rolling in on birdie during his front nine Wednesday to get to 3-under for the tournament.
Carding three straight to open his inward nine, McCoy climbed the leaderboard to 6-under and would add a final birdie at the par-3 17th to finish four shots back of Busby after 36 holes of play.
Australian Adam Brady posted a 4-under 67 Wednesday and will begin Thursday’s third round in third place at 5-under 137.
Former Blake School standout and current Pepperdine University golfer Derek Hitchner, along with University of Minnesota golfer Lincoln Johnson lead all Minnesotans this week, as both will enter Thursday’s round tied for 12th at 1-under 141.
Hitchner carded three birdies through 12 holes Wednesday to move within five shots of the lead, but carded a pair of late bogeys and took a double-bogey at the last to slip to 1-under for the championship.
After a pair of late bogeys during his front nine Wednesday, Johnson got back to even par thanks to a string of birdies midround. A pair of birdies at the 16th and 18th holes put Johnson in the clubhouse with a round of 68.
University of Minnesota’s Connor Glynn carded a 5-over 76 Wednesday and will begin the third round in a tie for 32nd at 144, while former Gopher Ben Greve currently sits in a tie for 43rd at 145.
The 117th Trans-Mississippi Amateur Championship continues Thursday when the third round gets underway at 8 a.m. at Windsong Farm.
THE 117TH TRANS-MISSISSIPPI AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
WINDSONG FARM
INDEPENDENCE, MINN.
7,191 YARDS, PAR 71
WEDNESDAY’S SECOND ROUND RESULTS
1. Derek Busby, United States, 66-65—131
2. Cal McCoy, United States, 69-66—135
3. Adam Brady, Australia, 70-67—137
T4. Ryan Eshleman, United States, 73-66—139
T4. Herman Sekne, Norway, 69-70—139
T4. Viraj Garewal, United States, 71-68—139
T7. Kaiwen Liu, China, 69-71—140
T7. Michael Sanders, United States, 70-70—140
T7. Jansen Preston, United States, 68-72—140
T7. Jacob Westberg, United States, 69-71—140
T7. Carter Graf, Canada, 69-71—140
T12. DEREK HITCHNER, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., 70-71—141
T12. LINCOLN JOHNSON, CHASKA, MINN., 73-68—141
T32. CONNOR GLYNN, WACONIA, MINN., 68-76—144
T43. BEN GREVE, EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN., 72-73—145
MC. EDUARDO GALDOS, U OF MINN., 72-74—146
MC. JACK EBNER, EDINA, MINN., 69-77—146
MC. THOMAS LONGBELLA, U OF MINN., 76-71—147
MC. BEN SIGEL, DEEPHAVEN, MINN., 73-74—147
MC. TRISTAN NELKO, PLYMOUTH, MINN., 76-72—148
MC. JIM LEHMAN, MINNETRISTA, MINN., 73-75—148
MC. DAVID MORGAN, ROCHESTER, MINN., 73-77—150
MC. HARRY PLOWMAN OLLINGTON, U OF MINN., 72-79—151
MC. ANDREW ISRAELSON, STAPLES, MINN., 73-78—151
MC. VAN HOLMGREN, PLYMOUTH, MINN., 75-77—152
MC. BEN WARIAN, STILLWATER, MINN., 74-80—154
MC. BRADY HOLLAND, ELK RIVER, MINN., 78-78—156
For complete tournament results go to:
www.golfgenius.com/pages/6842310089806722837
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