—Messenger photo by Eric Pratt Andrew Huseman putts during the opening round of the Fort Dodge Amateur on Friday at the Fort Dodge Country Club. Huseman carded a 69 and trails Joe Urbanek by one stroke in the open division.

Andrew Huseman has been chasing a Fort Dodge Amateur championship since high school.

Nearly a decade into his pursuit and making what may be his last tournament appearance in Fort Dodge, Huseman is looking for both the satisfaction of victory and the comfort of closure this weekend at the Fort Dodge Country Club.

The Ankeny Centennial graduate carded a steady two-under par 69 on Friday, putting him in a tie for second place and just a single stroke behind 2017 open division winner Joe Urbanek after day one of the 71st annual event.

Joe Bates and Jim Campbell — both of Albia — lead the senior and super senior divisions, respectively, following a round that was delayed nearly three hours at the start by rain and wet conditions in the area.

Huseman, who served as a graduate assistant at Arkansas State University this past year, is spending one final summer on the Iowa amateur golf circuit. He’ll be finishing up his graduate school work at ASU on-line and moving to Florida this fall, with the goal of turning pro in 2020.

As a result, Huseman — the son of local chiropractor Bill Huseman and grandson of Hall of Fame Fort Dodge athletic director and coach Dutch Huseman — feels a sense of urgency, so to speak, to close the books on the tournament that’s near and dear to his family’s heart.

“I’ve definitely given it some thought that this could be my last time through these (Iowa amateur) tournaments — especially the FD Am,” the 24-year-old Huseman said. “I’d really like to win this one before I turn pro. I suppose 10 years down the road if things don’t work out (professionally), I could potentially come back here and make another run at it. But that’s not my mindset. I’d like to do it here and now.”

Huseman recently captured the Lakeside Am locally for the fourth time, and also secured the Glen Oaks Club Championship in West Des Moines last week by carding rounds of 67 and 66. He struggled a little out of the gates on Friday, with seven consecutive pars followed by bogeys at 8 and 9.

Huseman found his rhythm on the back nine, though, birdieing 11, 13, 14 and 15 to reach the red.

“I was a little tense at the start, just trying to play smart golf and not make mistakes,” Huseman said. “The bogeys kind of jump-started my round. I got more aggressive (down the stretch) and was happy with how I battled back.

“I scored pretty well for how I hit it, which wasn’t all that great.”

Urbanek, who placed second last June as the defending champ, birdied 1, 7, 9, 10, 12, 15 and 16, with bogeys at 3, 5, 8 and 18. The Tripoli resident joined Huseman and Eastern Kentucky University team member Willis Gaer (69) as the only three open-division players to shoot in the 60s.

Webster City High School graduate Avery Fuhs, who currently plays at Grand View University in Des Moines, turned in a one-under par 70. Fuhs recorded consecutive birdies at 4, 5, 6 and 7, also birdieing 15. He bogeyed 1, 10, 14 and 18.

Ossian native Logan Schweinefus (even-par 71) is alone in fifth.

Bates, the 2016 FD Am senior gold medalist, carded a one-under 70. He birdied 6 and 15, with a lone bogey at 14.

Bates holds a one-shot advantage over Dave Gaer of Des Moines. Gowrie’s Tom Schill is in a three-way tie for third with Hampton’s Jay Hickman and Bret Taylor of Booneville at three-over 74.

Campbell, the general manager at the Albia Golf and Country Club, shot 74 and is the super senior leader by one stroke over Fort Dodge’s Dave Sergeant — the defending champion. Lake City High School graduate Joel Yunek and Randy Studer of West Des Moines are tied for third after matching 77s.

The 80 competitors reverse tee times by five hours on Saturday; opening-round afternoon golfers start in the morning, and vice versa. The top 40 percent of each field — with ties — advances to Sunday’s competition.

Temperatures are expected to again hover in the 70s under humid conditions on Saturday. The threat of rain shouldn’t enter the picture until the night-time hours, but that may impact the trajectory of Sunday’s final round.

OPEN DIVISION

1. Joe Urbanek 68

2. Andrew Huseman 69

(tie) Willis Gaer 69

4. Avery Fuhs 70

5. Logan Schweinefus 71

6. Cody Jaeschke 72

(tie) Ryan Horner 72

(tie) Jon Olson 72

(tie) Erik Bredesen 72

(tie) Jake Marvelli 72

11. Carson Caylor 73

12. Kevin Ault 74

(tie) Austin Reynolds 74

(tie) Ethan Mechling 74

15. Lucas Peed 75

(tie) Eddie Doyle 75

(tie) Justin Schulte 75

SENIOR DIVISION

1. Joe Bates 70

2. Dave Gaer 71

3. Tom Schill 74

(tie) Jay Hickman 74

(tie) Bret Taylor 74

6. Dave Henry 75

7. Tony Newkirk 76

(tie) Terry Cook 76

(tie) Rob Dickerman 76

SUPER SENIOR DIVISION

1. Jim Campbell 74

2. Dave Sergeant 75

3. Randy Studer 77

(tie) Joel Yunek 77

.John Kinsey 78