LUMBERTON — After his first two shots ended up nearly in the ditch that traverses the right side of the first hole and in the thick growth long of the first green, Ryan Bass’ start to the 38th Robeson County Golf Championship sponsored by Dial Insurance at Pinecrest Country Club was rocky on Friday.
But the 2013 winner and runner-up from a year ago took lessons he had learned over the years to right the ship the final 17 holes. Thanks to a hot stretch of holes to end his front nine and start the second nine, Bass took a two-stroke lead in the Championship division with a 3-under, 69.
“I got off to a rocky start. I just hung in there and really didn’t make many mistakes,” he said.”I was really just trying to stay composed I guess. I don’t want to get ahead of myself or get too angry because after the first three holes you still got two rounds and 15 holes left.”
Bass leads nine-time champion Kyle Covington, former champion Scott Benton and Jeff Broadwell, by two strokes heading into Saturday.
After posting a bogey on the first hole that took him to the far reaches of the first hole, Bass had six straight pars before an eagle on the short par-5 eighth hole. That eagle started an eight-hole stretch where he was 4 under, after birdies on Nos. 11, 13 and 15.
“I took advantage of the par 5s and that’s really all I did,” Bass said. “I like where I’m at. It could’ve been better, but it could’ve been a lot worse. I’ve got two days left to go so hopefully I can continue the good play.”
Heading into the weekend, Bass will be chased by 11 golfers that are within five strokes of the lead. After opening last year’s tournament with a 66, he hopes to avoid a repeat of last year’s second round.
“I just want to keep it under par, not like last year where I shot real good and the second round I came way back,” Bass said of last year’s 75 in the second round. “I think there is a handful of guys that can win it. At 3 under, anybody can win it at this point.”
As for the pack that is chasing him, the seasoned duo of Covington and Benton that were grouped together said there were shots left on the course on Friday.
“Me and Scott hit the ball good, we just didn’t make nothing,” Covington said. “Maybe we will make something tomorrow. There’s a lot out there, but it’s not playing easy. The course is firmer than it usually is this time of year and the ball jumps out of the rough.
“I don’t see anybody going out there and killing it, but you never know.”
Covington took advantage of the par 5s at Pinecrest to make up for what he considered a pedestrian round. A birdie on the sixth hole and an eagle on the eighth helped Covington make the turn at even par, and a birdie on the 15th broke up eight pars on the back side.
“I just plodded along, didn’t make anything and made pars,” Covington said. “You just don’t want to shoot yourself out of it. No more than I get to play anymore, I didn’t feel too lost out there so I don’t feel too bad.”
The play was a welcome site for Covington after his run of dominance in the tournament, and a recent dry spell over the last five years.
“The last couple years I’ve felt like I didn’t know what was going to happen or where it’s going,” Covington said. “I didn’t miss too many shots, I just didn’t make any putts.”
Benton missed last year’s county championship with neck surgery, and like many of the field he made back strokes on the par 5s with birdies on Nos. 6, 8 and 11. A 35-foot birdie putt on the 18th helped get Benton into red numbers heading to the second round.
“You just don’t want to shoot yourself in the foot today. A 71 is pretty good,” Benton said. “I’ll take 71 today. I was solid. I got some holes behind me and some confidence built up.”
After posting rounds in the high 70s last year in the Championship division, Broadwell’s putter helped move him into contention after the first round.
“I didn’t hit it that great, I just putted it real well,” he said. “I was in the trees all day, but I hit some good iron shots and putting good I guess.
Broadwell had the best nine-hole score on the course Friday with a 33 on the back. He strung together back-to-back birdies on Nos. 11 and 12, as well as Nos. 15 and 16.
“He putted like a genius,” Broadwell’s playing partner Russ Seassock said.
