Weather was balmy and players were anxious for the start

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

Tournament officials couldn't have scheduled better weather than that which greeted the opening of the annual Birchmont Golf Tournament Monday at the Bemidji Town & Country Club.

More than 150 golfers from around the state, and even some from out of state, teed off in three of the tournament's "Big Five" divisions, kicking off the 74th consecutive tourney. Another 100 or so golfers will begin play today in the Senior Men's, Super Seniors and Ladies' championship flights.

In the first day of qualifying, golfers were greeted with fair temperatures, ranging in the 80s and some slight winds which produced tricky west-to-east tee shots.

Many golfers milling around the leader board testified to a tricky course, which amounted to some surprisingly high scores in the qualifying round of the Men's Exeuctive Division. However, scores among the Men's Championship and Junior divisions were close to what were posted last year, course pro Paul Grovum said Monday.

ONe reason the Executive scores could have been higher, Grovum said, could be that the number of participants in the division was down from previous tournaments, meaning fewer golfers produces a smaller range of scores.

Grovum, however, said a number of golfers told him the course was playing tougher than in previous years, and he added two reasons for the tougher play could have been the wind and greens which were slick Monday.

Monday's action centered on the first of two qualifying rounds for the Men's Championship Division, and also the qualifying rounds for the Executive and Junior divisions.

Some 80-plus golfers started the day in the granddaddy of the tourney -- the Men's Championship Division -- and the field was cut to 64 before the end of the day. J.P. Prenevost of LeSuer took home the medalist honors, finishing with a 68, 2-under par day. Match play begins Wednesday for the final 32 qualifiers, which will be set after Tuesday's second round of qualifying.

In the Executive Division, more than 30 entered the qualifying field, only to be shaved to the low 15 and the defending champion, Curtis Howard of Monahans, Texas, by day's end. Four players shot 76 to share the medalist honors, including Jack Larson of Sanborn, Jeff Nelson of Bemidji, Chris Howard of Oklahoma City, Okla., and Bob Kobilka of Bemidji. Match play for the Executives begins Wednesday.

Matt Kennedy of Red Lake Falls paced 36 other juniors, in a field devoid of last year's champion, Nick Sundbloom of Minnesapolis, to take home medalist honors. The low 16 begin match play on Wednesday.

Although Monday was the first day of play in the Birchmont, the action did not disappoint those who were on hand. Several good rounds by past and defending champions, and a multi-hole playoff in the Executive Division kept Day One interesting.

Past or defending champions competing in this year's tournament include Jim Strandemo of Cass Lake and Pete Passolt of Minneapolis in the Men's Championship; John McEnroe of Grand Forks, N.D., and Howard in the Executive Division; Bob O'Neill of Beatrice, Neb., in the Senior Men's Championship; and Carrie Diffley of Bemidji in the Ladies'. Howard, O'Neill and Diffley are defending champs.

Today's action begins early at about 7:45 a.m. with Senior Championship, Super Senior's Chamionship and Laides' Championship flights to continue throughout the day.