Mortensen Earns First Tour Victory at Grand Niagara

Full Leaderboard | Vouchers, Skins and Prizes | Scoresheet - PDF File

Sunday May 24, 2009 - Tour veteran Frank Mortensen, who has played the circuit since its inception in 2001, saw his patience finally rewarded on Sunday as his three over par 75 at Grand Niagara was one shot better than three others to win his first ever Tour event.

It was a win that was very well received by his fellow competitors, as the personable Mortensen, who plays out of Lookout Point CC, is one of the most popular playing partners on the Tour.

Mortensen, shown above, made two birdies, five bogeys and eleven pars and fashioned nines of 36 and 39 during a picture-perfect spring afternoon at the Rees Jones designed course in Niagara Falls.

There was a three way tie for second place, with Sawmill's Kyle Smith, Tour Co-Chairman Jim Briggs from Fox Run and Beechwood's own John Rodwell all shooting fine scores of 76 on nines of 39 and 37. For Smith, it's a strong follow up performance after his season opening victory at Peninsula Lakes and for Rodwell, it's his best ever finish on Tour.

Finishing tied for fifth place with scores of 78 were Tour Co-Chairman Bernie Bodogh of Links of Niagara (40-38), rookies Brad Butler from St. Catharines GCC (37-41) and Bradley Cassidy from Rolling Meadows (39-39), Lookout Point's Ian Penney (38-40) and Niagara-on-the-Lake's Rob Reimer, who followed up his front nine 42 with a blazing even par 36 coming in to win the fifth place voucher by retrogression.

Rounding out the top ten with scores of 79 are Tour rookie Nick Joon, a GAO player (38-41) and Harris Nepon from St. Catharines GCC (39-40), both of whom notch their best ever finishes.

There were four skins on the day, each worth $135.00. Winners were Doug Widner from LochNess Links with a birdie three on the 3rd hole, Sawmill's Dave Abrams, who made a stellar birdie two on the supremely difficult par three 6th, Jesse Bedard from Royal Niagara, who made the day's only eagle on the par five 9th and Andrew Wood, the cross-handed sensation from Rockway Glen, who made the only birdie on the par five 15th.

The closest to the hole winners were rookie Brent Rollick, a GAO player, who knocked his tee shot on the short par three 2nd hole to about a foot and a half and GAO's Nick Joon, who hit his shot on the 14th hole to seven feet. Rollick wins a gift certificate from Tour sponsor 13 Mountain Street Restaurant while Joon takes home apparel from Briggsy's Sportswear and Promotions. Ryan Gidney from Lookout Point CC won the 50/50 draw and takes home $92.00.

There's no change at the top of the overall standings, as Kyle Smith opens up a substantial early lead after two events with 306.5 points. Three time defending Tour champion Jim Briggs sits in second place all alone with 226.5 points. Rounding out the top five are the Binbrook basher Ian Penney in third place, long ball hitting John Rodwell in fourth and Grand Niagara champ Frank Mortensen sits alone in fifth.

Smith is also on top of the Niagara Golf Report Rookie of the Year standings, with Brad Butler in second, Jesse Bedard in third, Fox Run's Adam Briggs in fourth and Bradley Cassidy in fifth. Jim Briggs leads the Senior points standings and is followed by Frank Mortensen in second, Bridgewater's Gord Henderson in third, Mark Hunermund from Sparrow Lakes in fourth and Tony Ravenda from Thundering Waters in fifth.

The Tour committee would like to thank all the staff at Grand Niagara for their hospitality.

The next event takes place on Sunday June 7th at the historic St. Catharines Golf and Country Club. Tee off times will be made available here on the website within the next couple of days.

GRAND NIAGARA STATISTICS -

Average Score: 83.68

Most Birdies: Kevin McCulligh (GAO) & Joe Spiler (Lookout Point CC) - 3

Most Pars: Bradley Cassidy (Rolling Meadows GCC) - 14

Best Par 3 Performance: Dave Abrams (Sawmill GC) - 2.75 average

Best Par 4 Performance: Jim Briggs (Fox Run GC), Rob Reimer (Niagara-on-the-Lake GC) & John Rodwell (Beechwood GCC) - 4.10 average

Best Par 5 Performance: Mark Bolton (GAO) & Andrew Wood (Rockway Glen) - 4.75 average

Most Difficult Par 3: #6 - 3.98 average

Most Difficult Par 4: #1 - 4.89 average

Most Difficult Par 5: #15 - 5.77 average

Easiest Par 3: #2 - 3.30 average

Easiest Par 4: #5 - 4.39 average

Easiest Par 5: #17 - 5.39 average

Leaderboard

   PLAYERS  CLUB SCORE POINTS
1  Mortensen, Frank  Lookout Point 36 39 75 175
T2  Briggs, Jim  Fox Run 39 37 76 131.5
   Rodwell, John  Beechwood 39 37 76 131.5
   Smith, Kyle  Sawmill 39 37 76 131.5
T5  Bodogh, Bernie  Links of Niagara 40 38 78 100
   Butler, Brad  St. Catharines 37 41 78 100
   Cassidy, Bradley  Rolling Meadows 39 39 78 100
   Penney, Ian  Lookout Point 38 40 78 100
   Reimer, Rob  Niagara-on-the-Lake 42 36 78 100
T10  Joon, Nick  GAO 38 41 79 82.5
   Nepon, Harris  St. Catharines 39 40 79 82.5
T12  Childs, Ken  GAO 39 41 80 70
   Hunermund, Mark  Sparrow Lakes 37 43 80 70
   Spiler, Joe  Lookout Point 39 41 80 70
   Wood, Andrew  Rockway Glen 41 39 80 70
T16  Abrams, Dave  Sawmill 39 42 81 52.5
   Goss, Bob  GAO 42 39 81 52.5
   Lipsett, Bill  Twenty Valley 40 41 81 52.5
   Odegaard, Jon  Queenston 40 41 81 52.5
   Ragats, Andy  GAO 39 42 81 52.5
   Ravenda, Tony  Thundering Waters 37 44 81 52.5
   Webb, Curtis  Niagara-on-the-Lake 42 39 81 52.5
23  Bolton, Mark  GAO 40 42 82 43
T24  Bedard, Jesse  Royal Niagara 46 37 83 37
   Bosela, Matt  St. Catharines 41 42 83 37
   Garcia, Mike  Queenston 44 39 83 37
   Gidney, Ryan  Lookout Point 43 40 83 37
   Goodman, Cal  St. Catharines 42 41 83 37
T29  Elsley, Taylor  GAO 41 43 84 26
   Briggs, Adam  Fox Run 40 44 84 26
   Henderson, Gord  Bridgewater 42 42 84 26
   Juzsku, Wes  GAO 40 44 84 26
   McLean, Chris  GAO 42 42 84 26
   Turonski, Todd  GAO 43 41 84 26
T35  Carr, Barry  GAO 45 40 85 18
   McCulligh, Kevin  GAO 42 43 85 18
   Widner, Doug  LochNess Links 45 40 85 18
T38  Bedard, Donny  Royal Niagara 45 41 86 14
   Gruhl, Steve  St. Catharines 46 40 86 14
   Henderson, Rick  Twenty Valley 45 41 86 14
   Lord, Paul  Lookout Point 40 46 86 14
   McEachern, Stew  LochNess Links 43 43 86 14
43  Robertson, Pete  GAO 44 43 87 11
T44  Germond, Jeff  St. Catharines 45 43 88 9
   Rollick, Brent  GAO 45 43 88 9
   Strachan, John  GAO 42 46 88 9
T47  Jackson, Jeff  GAO 43 46 89 6.5
   Waldbroel, Kyle  Twenty Valley 45 44 89 6.5
T49  Fleguel, Brad  Freedom Oaks 46 44 90 3.5
   Foster, Josh  Whisky Run 40 50 90 3.5
   Lowrey, Wes  Queenston 48 42 90 3.5
   Stouffer, Phil  Twenty Valley 42 48 90 3.5
T53  Molkoski, Kenny  Sparrow Lakes 47 44 91 1
   Ormerod, Willie  Links of Niagara 44 47 91 1
55  Egerter, Don  Fox Run 42 51 93 1
56  Griffis, Kyle  Bridgewater 47 51 98 1
   Arrowsmith, Randy  Long Beach DID NOT START
   Bedard, Mike  LochNess Links DID NOT START
   Puckering, Bill  Pelham Hills DID NOT FINISH

Vouchers, Skins and Prizes

 VOUCHERS    
1  Frank Mortensen   $180.00
T2  Jim Briggs   $100.00
T2  John Rodwell   $100.00
T2  Kyle Smith   $100.00
5  Rob Reimer   $60.00
 SKINS    
1  Doug Widner #3 - Birdie 3 $135.00
2  Dave Abrams #6 - Birdie 2 $135.00
3  Jesse Bedard #9 - Eagle 3 $135.00
4  Andrew Wood #15 - Birdie 4 $135.00
 CLOSEST TO THE HOLE    
1  Brent Rollick #2 - 1' 6" 13 Mountain St. Gift Cert
2  Nick Joon #14 - 7' 0" Briggsy's Sportswear
 50/50 DRAW    
1  Ryan Gidney   $92.00