Howard wins second straight

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.

Aug. 2, 1998

By Devlyn Brooks

Two year, two championships.

That's how Curt Howard of Monahans, Texas, has fared in the Executive Division of the annual Birchmont Golf Tournament the last two years.

Howard successfully defended his title Saturday by beating Bemidji's Bob Kobilka at Bemidji Town & Country Club, making him the fourth person to ever win back-to-back championships in the Executive Division.

"It was harder to play (the tournament) this year than it was last year," Howard said about defending his championship. "(This week) everybody around the club talked like they expected me to win it again."

In the match, both golfers opened up playing shaky, which resulted in some sporadic tee shots on Holes 1 and 2. The golfers pushed both holes, and it was even after two.

And that's when Howard said enough. He regained his championship composure and put together a string of wins on Holes 3, 4 and 5, giving him a 3-up advantage early in the match.

"We both opened up a little shaky. (Kobilka) was nervous, and I was too," Howard said after his match.

The golfers pushed Hole 6, and Kobilka took home a win on seven to bring the match to 2-up in Howard's favor.

However, the reigning champion showed just why he had the title by taking back Holes 8 and 9 to make him 4-up at the turn.

Kobilka, the challenger, wasn't done yet either though, as he strung together two solid holes of his own, winning 10 and 11. That brought the match back to a reasonable 1-up advantage for Howard after 11 holes.

The competitors again exchanged holes with Howard winning 12 to break Kobilka's streak, and Kobilka winning 13 to make the match 2-up again.

The 14th hole was another push, and then the defending champion Howard moved in for the kill. He won No. 15, making him 3-up with three holes to go.

And on 16, Howard finished Kobilka off, leaving himself with a short birdie putt that Kobilka just granted him after missing his own par putt.

"(Kobilka) played very well, as well as everybody else in the Executive Disivion," Howard said. "People think the golf is a step down from the Men's Championship Division, but I'll tell you it isn't . There are some great players in the Execs."

Howard will have the opportunity next year to complete a three-peat in the Executive Division for the first time in the division's history, and that is something he said he is excited about.

Monday (Qualifying Tourney):

Curt Howard (Monahans, Texas) Defending Champ

Jack Larson (Sanborn) 76

Jeff Nelson (Bemidji) 76

Chris Howard (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 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

Wednesday (First Round):

Curt Howard def. Noga, 5 and 3

Wages def. Knutson, 2 and 1

Larson def. Peterson, 6 and 5

Nelson def. Hendrickson, 4 and 3

McEnroe def. Chris Howard, 7 and 6

Thoreson def. Countryman, 1-up

Kobilka def. Olson, 1-up

Noren vs. Robbins (match wasn't reported)

Thursday (Quarterfinals):

Howard def. Wages, 4 and 3

Larson def. Nelson, 5 and 3

Thoreson def. McEnroe, 2 and 1

Kobilka def. Olson, 1-up

Friday (Semifinals):

Howard def. Larson, 4 and 3

Kobilka def. Thoreson, 5 and 4

Saturday (Championship):

Howard def. Kobilka, 4 and 2