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Golfer Conor Spencer watches his drive head down the fairway during the Jackson City Golf Tournament earlier in the year. Spencer shot a 71 at the Jackson County Golf Open at Cascades Golf Course on Saturday and is four shots off the pace heading into the final round on Sunday. Fellow Wayne State University golfer Grant Haefner leads the tournament following a 5-under-par 67. Play concludes today with the lead threesome teeing off at 9:36 a.m. at Cascades Golf Course.  Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports.

By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

COVID-19 has pretty much ruined the spring and some of the summer tournaments for Wayne State University golfer Grant Haefner.

When soon-to-be college teammate Conor Spencer told Haefner about the Jackson County Golf Open, he jumped at the chance.

Haefner is probably happy about that decision.

He shot a 5-under-par 67 to lead the County Open at Cascades Golf Course on Saturday. Multiple major golf tournament winners Mike Brockie and Mark Kurzynowski are one shot back at 68, Riley Hestwood shot a 69, Bret Valkuchak is three shots back with a 70, and Spencer shot a 71.

The final round will be contested on Sunday in the medal-play tournament.

Haefner said everything turned upside down in his collegiate career in early March. He said in about a three-hour window his collegiate tournament he was scheduled to play in was canceled, the season was canceled, and the school was going to on-line classes due to the pandemic.

He is coming back for a fifth-season at WSU, will be the team captain and No. 1 player. 

“I knew we had a good team this spring,” Haefner said. “In a short period of time everything was turned upside down (duo to the pandemic).”

Haefner played a round with Spencer a couple of weeks ago and the Lumen Christi Catholic High School graduate said he was playing in the County Open at Cascades. Haefner inquired about the tournament and was told anyone could enter.

“I played about 15 holes on Thursday during a practice round,” Haefner said. “I found out where to miss it.”

He missed it a number of times off the tee, hitting only five fairways. But a hot putter on the front nine netted a 3-under-par 34. He shot 33 on the back for a 67.

“I think I will have a little more confidence off the tee tomorrow,” Haefner said.

Ten golfers shot par or better including Brogan Brockie, Tom Butterfield, Andrew Tindall, and Sean Vann with 72s.

Zach DeFrain and Dan Owens leads the first flight tournament with 78s. Owen Campbell, Rick Burns, and Frederick Vann are tied for first in the second flight with 85s.

Championship flight

Tee times Sunday Player Saturday scores

8:08 Mike Boldt 79, Noah Abbey 80, Henry Hitt 85

8:16 Evan Brzyski 77, Cody Lysher 78, Mike Raymond 78

8:24 Chris Chaney 77 Rob Longbrake 77 Matt Farhat 77

8:32 Sean Matson 76, Tyler Stassines 76, Jack Brockie 77

8:40 Malon Backinger 75, Pete Walz 76, Greg Zeller 76

8:48 Troy Allen 74, John Tarpley 75, Dave Mickle 75

8:56 Luke Girodat 74, Todd Marston 74, Cannon Risner 74

9:04 Brett Casto 73, Trevor Raymond 73, Jordan Riske 73

9:12 Brogan Brockie 72, Justin Bunch 73, Dave Crandall 73

9:20 Tom Butterfield 72, Andrew Tindall 72, Sean Vann 72

9:28 Riley Hestwood 69, Bret Valkuchak 70, Conor Spencer 71

9:36 Grant Haefner 67, Mike Brockie 68, Mark Kurzynowski 68

First Flight

Tee times Sunday Player Saturday scores

8:00 Ray Hill 83, Adam Chippewa 83

8:04 Jim Coutu 83, Will Double 83

9:44 Andy Horodecki 82, Ron O’Rourke 82, Bryan Marvin 83

9:52 John Stadelman 82, Mike McClafferty 82, Chris Polich 82

10:00 Mike Kulka 81, Michael Fish 82, Rusty Whisman 82

10:08 Kevin Coffman 80, Louis Redovich 80, Brian Carney 81

10:16 Tim Pickering 79, Zach Boorom 79, Edward McClafferty 79

10:24 Zach DeFrain 78, Dan Owens 78, Logan Anuszkiewicz 79

Second Flight

Tee times Sunday Player Saturday scores

10:32 Stephen Broghamer II 92, Scott Burgoyne 95, Christian Miller 95 10:40 John Gaston 88, Ken Byers 88, Fisher Jacobs 88

10:48 Travis Crowe 87, Zach Cornell 87, Palmer Duncan 87

10:56 Stuart White 86, Tom Vann 86, Richard Horodecki 86

11:04 Owen Campbell 85, Rick Burns 85, Frederick Vann 85, Matt Brown 86

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