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Tight race at the top

—Messenger photos by Eric Pratt Steve Smith of Johnston (above) follows through on a tee shot at the Fort Dodge Country Club in the second round of the Fort Dodge Amateur on Saturday.

Temperatures more typical of September than June may have been a welcome reprieve for some at the Fort Dodge Amateur men’s golf tournament, but the wind that accompanied it for the second consecutive day kept scores high and the leaderboard tight.

Joe Urbanek of Tripoli carded an even-par 71 here on Saturday at the Fort Dodge Country Club to emerge as the overall leader in the open division. The score may not look flashy on paper, but in an event that has quickly become a survival of the fittest, Urbanek certainly showed some staying power.

Urbanek, the head girls golf coach at Tripoli High School, will take a three-stroke lead into Sunday morning’s championship round at three-over par 145. West Bend-Mallard graduate Ryan Banwart is in a three-player cluster at six-over 148, which also includes Dylan Hanson of Maple Grove, Minn., and Alex Shattuck of Sioux Falls, S.D.

Urbanek and Banwart — who shot a one-under 70 on Saturday — were the only competitors in the open bracket to tally a round of even or better on moving day. As a result, there is a distinct possibility that the FD Am champ will post an overall score above par for the first time in 43 years.

On the senior side, Bret Taylor of Booneville moved to the front of the pack with a 71 on Saturday. At one-over 143, Taylor holds a three-shot advantage over Steve Smith of Johnston, while Gowrie’s Tom Schill is third at five-over 147.

Taylor and Smith were at level par in the second round, but no senior posted a red number. With two days and 184 total rounds in the books, only Algona’s Bill Manske’s 69 on Friday and Banwart’s 70 on Saturday went below par.

Urbanek registered four birdies on Saturday: at holes 5, 6, 9 and 15. He bogeyed 8 and 16, and double-bogeyed 18.

Last month, Urbanek captured the Katoski Memorial Championship at Irv Warren Golf Course in Waterloo.

Banwart, a 2011 West Bend-Mallard graduate who now lives in Ankeny, birdied 4, 5, 15 and 18, with bogeys at 2, 10 and 14.

Hanson, the 17-year-old son of 1994 Fort Dodge Senior High graduate Chad Hanson, birdied the par-five 7th and 15th on Saturday, but had bogeys at 1, 8, 9, 12, 13 and 17 to flank his round of 72 on Friday.

The 52-year-old Taylor has been as steady as anyone over the opening two rounds. He recorded 16 pars on Friday and came back with 14 more on Saturday, with birdies at 7 and 15 and bogeys at 1 and 8.

Smith, the head golf coach at Johnston High School, birdied holes 4 and 12 in Round 2, with bogeys at 6 and 17. He played with Manske, who slipped back to the pack with an 81 on Saturday after his 69 on opening day.

Steady wind speeds north of 20 miles per hour again greeted the players on an otherwise very pleasant day. Highs only reached the low-70s, where they are expected to be again on Sunday.

Tee times begin at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. The open division’s leaders — Urbanek, Banwart, Hanson and Shattuck — start at 9:30 a.m. The senior division’s final foursome — Taylor, Smith, Schill and Joe Palmer of West Des Moines — begin play at 8 a.m.

The last FD Am open division champion to finish over par was FDSH grad Tom Chapman Jr., who carded a 216 in 1974.

FORT DODGE AMATEUR

Open Division

1. Joe Urbanek, Tripoli, 74-71–145; 2. Ryan Banwart, Ankeny, 78-70–148; (tie) Dylan Hanson, Maple Grove, Minn., 72-76–148; (tie) Alex Shattuck, Sioux Falls, 74-74–148; 5. Matthew Junge, Cedar Rapids, 73-76–149; 6. James Calkins, West Union, 75-75–150; (tie) Kirk Macumber, Winterset, 73-77–150; 8. Austin Morrow, Fort Dodge, 79-73–152; (tie) Wesley Buntenbach, Klemme, 72-80–152; (tie) John Siela, Waterloo, 75-77–152; (tie) Ethan Mechling, Des Moines, 76-76–152; 12. Keegan Goodwin, Farnhamville, 78-76–154; (tie) Cody Holck, Ankeny, 76-78–154; 14. Ryan Horner, Waukee, 80-75–155; 15. Avery Fuhs, Webster City, 73-83–156; (tie) Court Bates, Ankeny, 78-78–156; (tie) Trenton Sann, Clarion, 78-78–156; 18. Matthew Pitts, Cherokee, 76-81–157; 19. Alec Fuhs, Webster City, 78-80–158; (tie) Robert Flattery, Fort Dodge, 79-79–158; 21. Eddie Doyle, Fort Dodge, 78-81–159; (tie) Lucas Peed, Fort Dodge, 80-79–159.

Senior Division

1. Bret Taylor, Booneville, 72-71–143; 2. Steve Smith, Johnston, 75-71–146; 3. Tom Schill, Gowrie, 72-75–147; (tie) Joe Palmer, West Des Moines, 74-73–147; 5. Tony Malizia, Palm City, Fla., 74-76–150; (tie) Terry Cook, West Des Moines, 71-79–150; (tie) Bill Manske, Algona, 69-81–150; (tie) Joel Yunek, Mason City, 76-74–150; 9. Rob Dickerman, Marion, 78-74–152; 10. Dave Sergeant, Fort Dodge, 75-78–153; (tie) Jim Nelson, Waterloo, 77-76–153; 12. Ron Peterson, Urbandale, 78-76–154; 13. David Studer, West Des Moines, 77-78–155; 14. Rob Christensen, Marshalltown, 79-77–156; (tie) Dean Wendell, Fort Dodge, 81-75–156; (tie) Jay Slings, Ankeny, 82-74–156.

Sunday’s Championship Tee Times

(Fort Dodge Country Club, Hole No. 1)

7:30 a.m. (senior) — Rob Christensen, Jay Slings, Dean Wendell, David Studer.

7:40 a.m. (senior) — Ron Peterson, Jim Nelson, Dave Sergeant, Rob Dickerman.

7:50 a.m. (senior) — Tony Malizia, Terry Cook, Joel Yunek, Bill Manske.

8 a.m. (senior) — Tom Schill, Joe Palmer, Steve Smith, Bret Taylor.

8:10 a.m. (open) — Thomas Hartley, Tyler Wierson, Johnny Jensen, Dave Henry.

8:20 a.m. (open) — Derek Damman, Ben Dooley, David Pratt, Brandon Russell.

8:30 a.m. (open) — Ryan Reeder, Connor Chesky, Brad Mickelson, Willis Gaer.

8:40 a.m. (open) — Charlie Doyle, Ben Krapfl, Lucas Peed, Eddie Doyle.

8:50 a.m. (open) — Robert Flattery, Alec Fuhs, Trenton Sann, Matthew Pitts.

9 a.m. (open) — Court Bates, Avery Fuhs, Ryan Horner, Keegan Goodwin.

9:10 a.m. (open) — Cody Holck, Wesley Buntenbach, John Siela, Ethan Mechling.

9:20 a.m. (open) — Austin Morrow, Kirk Macumber, James Calkins, Matthew Junge.

9:30 a.m. (open) — Ryan Banwart, Alex Shattuck, Dylan Hanson, Joe Urbanek.

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