Johansen wins in frigid Ice Bowl

Johansen soars to Master’s title in disc golf tournament

NoC Sports Desk

A few inches of snow and ice can make the tamest of tournaments seem tough. Combine the two with blustery, bitter cold winds and you’ve got a recipe for grueling disc golf. Such was the case February 5th when the Bluegrass Disc Golf Association (BDGA) held its fifth annual Lexington Ice Bowl.

The 36-hole tournament was played at the Shilito and Veteran’s Parks courses. It was a Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) sanctioned event, meaning pros from as far away as Tennessee and Ohio made the drive north and south to gain valuable points for their 2011 PDGA season.

The 71 tournament entrants came bundled up in stocking caps, thick coats and long johns to try and beat back the elements. A few managed to shoot under par, but most were doing all they could to stay warm between shots.

The first 35 pre-registered entrants received a BDGA disc and a mini marker. The cost was $40 for the pro divisions, $30 for the advanced, $25 for the intermediate, recreational and novice and $15 for the women’s and junior’s divisions.

More than a quarter of the tournament’s entrance fees went to charity. Another $85 was raised in a throw off for a portable basket resulting in a check for $800 going to God’s Pantry of Lexington.

Several of the tourney’s entrants netted some cash and killer merchandise as well. Each of the nine divisions closest to the pin winners won $40 each. The top pro took home $125, advanced $55 in merch, intermediate $70 in merch, recreational and novice $50 of merch, women’s $25 and $20 of merchandise to the junior division.

The 40 mph wind gusts weren’t enough to keep two disc golfers from acing hole #9 at Veteran’s Park and hole #15 at Shillito. James Robinson shaped his drive perfectly to net a hole in one at Veteran’s with Cyrus Fuhrman matching his effort at Shillito.

“The cold wasn’t so bad,” said tournament organizer and BDGA president Drew Smith. “It was the wind that played a major factor.”

“Forty mile per hour wind gusts make putting really hard,” he said. “Even 10 footers are tough … heck even 5 footers were tricky.”

When asked how the elements affected overall scores, Smith responded by saying, “When you have top rated players shooting in the 60s at an easier course like Shillito you know something’s up.”

Smith said what kept him alive was playing for pars (3’s), laying up and not running at the baskets.

“On hole #13 I started my drive too high and the wind lifted my disc some 50 feet into the air and into the bushes to the left,” he said, referring to his best shot of the day. “I tossed a roll out and parked it by the pin to save a 3.”

Up next for the BDGA is the WCCPR Frozen Iron Ice Bowl II on the 19^th of this month. It will be held at the Iron Works Hill course in Winchester. To register for the tournament visit www.bdga.org.

After that the BDGA will be getting ready for the Lexington Open coming this May. There will be a few changes to this year’s format, with tournament play to be held at Shillitto and Veteran’s Parks like previous years. In addition the Riney B course in Nicholasville will be added to the mix, making the tournament a 54 hole event.

In order to accommodate the addition of mountain bike trails in Veteran’s Park, several tees and baskets will be moved. The BDGA will also be adding several new signs on various holes. Check out the map provided for the changes being made.

Top 3 results for each division from the Lexington Ice Bowl X on February 5

Open

1. Eric Gallusser -11, 97 (combined score)

2. Cyrus Fuhrman -9, 99

3. Garrett Diehmier -4, 104

Masters

1. Allen Johansen -3, 105

2. James McCormick +2, 110

3. Darell Mottley +3, 111

Advanced

1. Zach Skees E, 108

2. Drew Smith +3, 111