Howard versus Howard in Exec. final?

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

July 28, 1998

By Devlyn Brooks

The 1997 Birchmont Executive Division champion Curtis Howard of Monahans, Texas, didn't have to play a round Monday to qualify for this year's tournament, but he did it anyway for the practice.

Unfortunately for Howard, he didn't necessarily like what he saw on the course, as he was practicing while caddying for his younger brother Chris who did have to qualify for the final 15 slots open in the Executive Division match play tournament beginning Wednesday.

The younger Howard fired a division-leading 4-over-par 76, tying Jack Larson of Sanborn and Jeff Nelson and Bob Kobilka, both of Bemidji, as the low qualifiers.

"I can't take anything for granted this week," Curtis said about defending his title in the Executive Division. "I need to play better. There are a lot of people here that scare me."

Curtis and Chris started playing this tournament a number of years ago, with Curtis doing well in the Men's Championship Division several times, but never taking home the championship trophy. Then, last year, he switched to the Executive Division, and what a decision it was. Curtis took home the championship in dramatic fashion, jumping on Jeff Wiltse of Thief River Falls 4-3.

"Everybody's nerves are always highest during the qualifying round because one bad swing could cost you three shots and put you out of the tournament," Curtis said Monday as he was surveying the leader board. "I am going to have to watch out for everyone because everyone is dangerous in match play."

Monday's results could lead to an interesting development should the two brothers ever meet in the the match play tournament -- giving new meaning to the phrase "sibling rivalry."

Here are the qualifiers:

Jack Larson (Sanborn) 76

Jeff Nelson (Bemidji) 76

Chris Howard (Oklahoma City) 76

Bob Kobilka (Bemidji) 76

Bill Olson (Grand Forks, N.D.) 77

William Thoreson (East Grand Forks) 78

Mitch Knutson (Bemidji) 79

Duane Wages (Grand Forks, N.D.) 79

Don Peterson (Grand Forks, N.D.) 80

Jeff Hendrickson (Thief River Falls) 80

John Countryman (Bemidji) 80

Rob Noren (Bemidji) 80

Scott Robbins (Brooklyn Park) 80

John McEnroe (Grand Forks, N.D.) 81 - playoff

Mark Noga (Los Altos, Calif.) 81 - playoff