Former UGA star, Todd, sets pace in Athens
ATHENS, Ga. -- Brendon Todd figures he knows the Jennings Mill Country Club course as well as anyone. Four years at the nearby University of Georgia provided plenty of opportunities for the four-time Bulldog All-America to play the course, which is host to the Athens Regional Foundation Classic. Todd’s back-to-back 68s have put the 22-year old atop the leaderboard at the halfway point of the $525,000 Nationwide Tour event. His 136 total is one stroke better than David Branshaw (69), Greg Owen (71) and Michael Putnam (71).Bill Lunde (69) is alone in fifth place, two shots back. Sebastian Fernandez (73), Bubba Dickerson (67), Joe Daley (69), Robert Damron (69), Fran Quinn (71) and Rich Barcelo (73) are three shots behind the leader.
"I think having a game plan that you know is going to work on this golf course is the key because there are four or five holes out there you can play multiple ways," said Todd. "You’ve got to have the ability to step up on the tee and not worry about it. I’ve seen a bunch of guys making mistakes just by hitting the wrong clubs on the tees."
Todd hasn’t made many mistakes, especially on the greens where he has needed only 26 putts in each of his first two rounds.
"I had a lot of putts that I felt like I hit really well from inside 20 feet that didn’t go in," said Todd, a Tour rookie who is making his first start of the year. "But then, I had this ridiculous 60-footer down a ridge (for birdie) and poured that one in. I don’t know how they’re going in, but they are. I feel like I left two or three out there on the back side but all in all if you count up the 25, 30 and 60-footers I’ve made the last two days, I can’t really complain about missing a couple 12-footers."
Todd should be used to making a bunch of putts, having won five tournaments over the past year, both in college and on the mini-tours. He’s now put himself in position to win in his first start of the year, which came via a sponsor’s exemption.
"I don’t think that because I got a sponsor’s invite it makes any difference how I play," said Todd, who has been too low on the totem pole the first part of the year to get into any events. "I know if I stay patient and stay calm and keep giving myself chances, and if I putt well, I’m going to contend."
Among those chasing the recent college grad is Branshaw, best described as a reluctant leader. The 38-year old polished of a 3-under 69 to wind up at 7-under par and wasn’t sure why the media wanted to chat with him.
"You’re wasting your time," he said to a small group of reporters. "I’m the first group in the morning wave, you’ve got the whole field still out there. It’s premature. There’s a 63 out there. There’s going to be 10 other guys who come in (with better scores)."
It turns out he was wrong. The 7,004-yard layout firmed up during the afternoon heat and wind, keeping any real challengers at bay. Branshaw’s bogey-free effort was the first this week at Jennings Mill, which has been anything but a pushover the first two days. The 36-hole cut came at even-par 144, the highest in the three years of the event.
"There are so many putts out here that you have to hit defensively," said Branshaw, who totaled 30 in Friday’s round. "If you hit it above the hole or even pin high, you’ve got a big bender coming down and they can get running away from you pretty quick."
Putnam’s 1-under 71 featured six birdies along with three bogeys and a double bogey.
"I made a couple of bad selections with clubs and got into positions where I couldn’t make par," he said. "It’s been frustrating this year. I’ve been playing real good but haven’t gotten the scoring out of my game that I think I should have. It’s frustrating and people who say they don’t get frustrated by it are lying. I feel like I’m playing great but I’m always battling the cut line."
On two occasions it was more of battling the out-of-bounds line. Putnam’s tee shot on the par-3, third hole bounced over the green and was within an inch of being out of play. He made double-bogey there. His tee shot on the par-4, 11th was within four inches of the line and he wound up making bogey.
"If you add six inches to where my ball winds up today, I’d have to add four strokes to my score," he said.
Second Round News & Notes: Saturday’s third-round tee times have been moved back due to the possibility of early morning thunderstorms. Play will be in threesomes off the first and 10th tees and will begin at 10:30 a.m…Jason Enloe withdrew prior to the start of round two…Tripp Isenhour was disqualified for failing to sign his scorecard after the round…
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