THUNDER BAY – Evan DeGrazia will get a fourth shot at a Staal Foundation open title.
The Thunder Bay golfer fired a one-under 71 on Saturday at Whitewater Golf Club to snag a two-shot victory in the first of two Thunder Bay District Golf Association qualifiers for next month’s Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada event.
DeGrazia held off Dustin Barr, who birdied 17 to pull within a shot, but overshot the green on his third shot on the final hole and settled for bogey.
With only one spot up for grabs, it was top spot or nothing, said DeGrazia, who has missed the cut in all three previous appearances at the Staal Foundation Open, falling short last year by six strokes after posting a two-day, six-over 150.
“It’s exactly how I envisioned the day going. You’re playing for one spot so you’re looking at the top of the leaderboard. And there I was at the end of the day.”
DeGrazia credited his ball striking for the victory, leading him to birdies on the second, seventh, 12th and 15th holes.
He also kept the damage to a minimum, only picking up three bogeys on the afternoon, including a potentially costly one on No. 17.
“The greens were soft and receptive and so was the course,” said DeGrazia, who last month graduated from South Carolina’s Newberry College and plans to turn professional in July.
“I hit the ball great and managed to get a few going in. The greens were a little bumpy here and there, but it was just a really solid day.”
The goal now is to make it to the weekend on July 15 and July 16.
That’s all he’s got left to prove, at least as an amateur.
“That’s definitely the goal. It’s the fourth crack at it. The nerves are definitely going to be gone. It’s definitely go time when I get there,” DeGrazia said.
Saying it is one thing, accomplishing it is another. However, he’s got a plan in place.
“You need to make birdies and lots of them,” he said.
For Barr, it was a heartbreaking end to the day.
He had about 145 yards left on his third shot, pulled out a nine iron and thought he had the right club. But the wind stopped as he released and the ball flew past the green and into the rough. He couldn’t convert the chip-in and had to settle for second.
“I really want to play in this tournament badly. I’ve been trying to get in it for the last three years. Every time I’ve come up short. I’m just trying to keep working hard and playing golf,” said Barr, who plans to enter next month’s Keg District Open, the second and final local qualifying event.
Jeremy Kirk and Joe Scharf finished tied for third with seven-over 79s. John Connor and Albert Drake rounded out the top five in the nine-golfer field, two shots further back with 81s.
