By Jim Henry
jhenry@joplinglobe.com
From the list of champions in the NGA Hooters Tour Buffalo Run Casino Classic, Will MacKenzie has gone on to have the most successful golf career.
MacKenzie prevailed at Peoria Ridge Golf Course near Miami, Okla., in mid-August, 2004, with a 21-under-par 267 and won $23,500. It was one of three victories that year for MacKenzie, who was named the Hooters Tour Player of the Year.
By comparison, MacKenzie picked up $883,997 — and, more importantly — a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour through 2010 — for his most recent victory, the 2008 Viking Classic in Madison, Miss.
While the golf focus that weekend was on the Ryder Cup, MacKenzie defeated Brian Gay and Marc Turnesa in a playoff to notch his second PGA Tour victory. He also won the Reno-Tahoe Open in 2006.
MacKenzie has earned $3.7 million in the last five years on the PGA Tour, making the cut in 64 of 120 events.
In addition to the two titles, he has posted nine top-10 finishes and 16 top-25s.
This year MacKenzie has made the cut six times in 15 starts and earned $516,808. His best finishes have been a tie for fifth in the Honda Classic in March, a tie for 10th in The Memorial two weeks ago and a tie for 12th in the season-opening, 2008 winners only Mercedes-Benz Classic in Hawaii.
Jeff Corr, the defending Buffalo Run Casino Classic champion, is second on the Hooters Tour money list this season with $58,827. He returns to the tour this week after tying for 49th place in last week’s PGA Nationwide Tour stop in Knoxville, Tenn.
Birdiefest
The average winning score in the six Buffalo Run Casino Classics has been 24-under-par 264.
That was the winning score for three straight years from 2005 through 2007 before Corr shattered the tournament scoring record with his 30-under 258 last year.
“The course is pretty much the same (as the other courses on tour), maybe a little shorter,” said Ted Potter, the tour’s season money leader at $109,224. “If you hit it in the fairways and on the greens, there are a lot of birdie opportunities on this course.”
How many birdies will it take to win in this year’s tournament, which begins Thursday?
“It’s hard to say,” Potter said. “Last year 30-under won. You never know. It depends on the wind and the condition of the course and everything like that. It could be anywhere from 22 to 30 (under).”
In his two Buffalo Run Casino Classic appearances, Potter has tied for ninth in 2006 (279) and tied for 25th last year (272).
Excused absences
Five Hooters Tour players are missing this week’s event — and with good reason.
Ryan Blaum, Michael Welch, Andrew Svoboda and Shawn Stefani all qualified for the U.S. Open, which starts Thursday at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in New York.
They join 27 more former Hooters Tour players in the field, including Chad Campbell, the Hooters Tour career leader in victories (13) and earnings ($776,976).
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