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De Grazia finishes 6 strokes off the cut-line at Staal Open

No Thunder Bay golfers will play on the weekend at the Staal Foundation Open.

THUNDER BAY – Ten holes into his second round at the 2018 Staal Foundation Open, Evan DeGrazia was 2-under par for the tournament and within striking distance of clawing his way to the cut line.

But his round fell apart over a three-hole stretch on his second nine – the second, third and fourth holes at Whitewater Golf Club.

The 23-year-old went bogey-double bogey-bogey to drop to 2-over par, had to settle for a second-round 74 and for a fifth straight year, no local will survive to play the weekend at the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada tournament.

“It started on two. My ball two-skipped over the green and I couldn’t get it up and down. It was just a poor swing on three. I put it in the bush and you can’t be doing that. I just made a seven from there and that’s pretty much it,” De Grazia said.

Despite the fact his tournament came to a close after two rounds, DeGrazia thinks his game is close to being ready to compete full time on the Mackenzie Tour, a goal he hopes to turn into reality in the near future.

“I played really well, extremely well, besides probably two or three swings. I’m not going to make excuses, but the putts just need to go in and that’s just how it is. I had plenty of opportunities, plenty of looks, so I’m not too disappointed in it.”

DeGrazia finished six strokes off the -4 cut-line, set at the top 60 golfers and ties.

After posting high numbers in Round 1, the cut wasn’t a reality for either Barry Caland or Matt Simmons on Friday.

Instead it was a chance to soak in the experience.

Caland had the better day of the two, draining a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th to finish at 6-over 78, for a two-day total of 158.

“I’m kind of past my best-before date and to get a chance to do this on my home course and my home town, it’s pretty cool,” the 48-year-old said.

“It was fun. I could have gone four- or five-under the last few holes. To be able to make a birdie on 18 with everybody around and to get a round of applause was nice.”

Simmons, the club pro at Whitewater, had a much rougher second round, shooting a 15-over 87 to finish with a two-round total of 168, but couldn’t stop smiling, in spite of his last-place finish.

“I had a great time out there. I knew going into the event, I did not put any expectations on my score. But I wanted to experience the event, being the fifth year here at the club. I wanted to see it from the other end and I so thank the Staal Foundation Open for granting me that possibility,” the 52-year-old said.

First-timer Jeremy Kirk posted the second best score of the five-golfer local contingent, following his 6-over 78 with a 4-over 76 on Day 2.

Rounding out the Thunder Bay entries was Walter Keating, Jr., who was 8-over 80 in Round 2 to finish at 15-over 161 for the event.



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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