The State Line Amateur Tour, sponsored by the Kansas City Golf Association, began the tour championship at the Stone Canyon Golf Club in Blue Springs, Mo. on Friday Oct. 4. The championship is a 36-hole by invitation only event. Invitations are determined by points earned at tournaments during the regular season. The top 72 players and ties are invited to play.
In the Open Division gross scoring Brent Mertz was the overnight leader at one under par 71. Mertz birdied four holes before posting a double bogey on 17 and a bogey on 18. Jason Hull, Ben Kimminau and Park Ulrich finished tied for second place at three over par 75. Joseph Lambert and Dave Cunningham finished the first round in a tie for fifth at four over par 76.
In the Open Division net scoring Mertz remained in first place with an adjusted score of even par 72. Hull and Lambert finished at three over par for a tie in second place. Kimminau slipped to fourth with an adjusted score of 76. Cunningham remained in fifth with an adjusted score of five over par 77.
Ritch Nigh posted four birdies and five bogeys to finish in first place at the end of round one in the Players Division gross scoring. Ken Heubel shot a four over par 76 to stand alone in second place. Third place resulted in a tie between Michael Buckhouse and Kurt Lorenzen at seven over par. One shot back in fifth place were Jamie Lyndes, Jeff Mott, Matt Barberich and Wes Lowe.
Heubel moved up to first place in the Players Division net scoring with an adjusted score of 10 under par 62. Jesse Montgomery had a four under par 68 for second and Wes Lowe posted and adjusted score of even par for third. Nigh dropped to a tie for fourth with Mike Naegele at one over par 73.
The Senior Division gross scoring was led by Steve Groom, the winner of the Kansas City Match Play Championship, at one under par 71. Groom posted three birdies and two bogeys to become the overnight leader. Greg Loteckie was five strokes back of Groom at 76 for second place. Third place was being held by David Hamilton at eight over par and fourth by John Samples at 11 over par. Fifth place resulted in a tie between Pete Robbins and Rob Gleissner at 13 over par 85.
Groom remained in first tied with Loteckie with adjusted scores of four over par 76 in the Senior Division net scoring. Hamilton remained in third at eight over par and fourth place resulted in a tie between Robbins and Gleissner at 11 over par.
The first place leader in the Legends Division gross scoring was held by Don Kuehn at two under par 70. The two under par posted by Kuehn was the lowest round shot in round one. Jim Lodes was three shots back at 73 for second and three shots back of Lodes was Ron Brewer for third. Fourth place resulted in a tie between Pat Goeke and Jack Garvin at seven over par.
Net scoring in the Legends Division resulted in Lodes moving to first place with a five under par 67. Goeke, Kuehn, John E. Pawsat and Mike Findley finished tied for second at two under par 70.
The tour championship continues on Saturday Oct. 5 at Stone Canyon Golf Club.
