Barbee repeats as River-Cade champion
By Barry Amundson, Journal staff writer | Posted: Monday, July 14, 2008
Nate Barbee tees off on the 5th hole during the River-Cade Amateur at Sunday at Green Valley Golf Course. (Staff photo by Jim Lee)
It was the wedge versus the driver in the final nine holes of the River-Cade Amateur on Sunday.
The wedge belonged to defending champion Nate Barbee. The driver belonged to his main challenger, three-time tourney winner Todd Sapp.
The wedge won out.
The curious part is that neither golfer has been playing particularly well with those clubs, even in the 36 holes prior to the final nine.
"It was just on the final nine when I was hitting it well," said Barbee, a University of Kansas golfer and former South Dakota high school champion from Dakota Dunes.
"I've been struggling (with the wedge) the last couple of weeks."
Sapp, a co-owner of Whispering Creek golf course in Sioux City, said his driver had been suspect all weekend.
But he made the final nine holes competitive with his drives. He trailed by one only stroke going into the final nine as Barbee was four under for the weekend and Sapp, three under. Barbee charged into the lead with a sizzling 31 on the back nine in his first round of the day as he dropped in five birdies. And his hot streak continued into the final nine holes.
Barbee quickly extended his lead on the first two holes, nailing a par on the par-four first hole, while Sapp missed a four-foot putt for a bogey.
On the par-five No. 2 hole, Barbee took a three-stroke lead with a birdie, while Sapp had a nice chip from the fringe to save par.
After pars on the third hole, Sapp stayed in the hunt by driving the green on a shortened par-four fourth hole. Tourney officials had moved the tee box up and Sapp hit a towering drive 280 yards, ending up on the green and putting for an eagle. His putt was short but he knocked in a three-footer for a birdie.
Barbee, meanwhile, laid up on his tee shot perhaps playing it safe with his three-stroke lead. With Sapp on in one, Barbee's wedge matched Sapp's driver. He hit his chip shot within 18 inches, but then missed his birdie putt and had to settle for a par.
The lead stayed at two for Barbee coming to what turned out to be a key hole.
Barbee's tee shot on the treacherous par-5 sixth hole landed behind a tree and he had to lay up short of the creek. But his wedge shined again as he hit his chip shot within about two feet and dropped in the putt for a birdie.
Sapp, meanwhile, hit another towering drive and his second shot landed on the green, as he was again making his charge and shooting for an eagle. But his putt fell short, and he had to settle for a birdie.
"It was a very important hole," said Barbee.
Sapp went to the par-3 seventh hole still down by only two. "I need a birdie,'" said the Sioux City golfer as he walked up to the tee box.
He didn't get it. His tee shot ended up in the sand trap, and he carded a bogey. Barbee, meanwhile, hit his tee shot to the fringe of the green and again he had an excellent chip to wiithin about a foot to get a par and his lead was back to three strokes.
Sapp showed his prowess with his driver again on No. 8 with a towering drive to within 100 feet of the hole on the par-four. He got a biridie, while Barbee had a par, but the Dakota Dunes golfer's two-stroke advantage was too much with just the ninth hole left. Barbee had a par on the ninth to finish with a 35 and a three-stroke victory over Sapp, who bogeyed the final hole for 37.
"He's a pretty good player," said Sapp about his foe. "I had a couple of chances to catch him, but every time I got a birdie, I followed it up with a bogey. I just couldn't get the ball in the hole."
Although his wedge shots were superb, Barbee let Sapp stay close by missing a few 18-inch putts. "Sometimes when you're in a competitive match like this, those 18-inchers turn into four-footers," said Barbee.
Making up the final third of the threesome in the tourney was Brian Barto of South Sioux City. He was three strokes back heading into the final nine holes and was steady with pars on the first five holes, but he just couldn't make up the deficit. He drilled the nicest putt of the final nine holes, a 25-footer, to save par on the par-3 fifth hole and stay in contention.
He finished the nine holes with a 36 and tied Sapp for second place.
Barbee will return to the University of Kansas on Aug. 20, but before that plans to try out for the U.S. Amateur national tourney in Sioux Falls on Aug. 4 and also play in the Northwest Amateur in Spencer.
Sapp, meanwhile, who has won the tourney three times, fears he's getting a little older and might not be able to keep up with the younger golfers too much longer.
He gave it a shot Sunday.
One of the other highlights of the tourney Sunday was a hole-in-one with a 6-iron on the 200-yard seventh hole by Morningside golfer Chris Rager. He finished fourth in the tourney, four strokes back of Barbee.
The wedge belonged to defending champion Nate Barbee. The driver belonged to his main challenger, three-time tourney winner Todd Sapp.
The wedge won out.
The curious part is that neither golfer has been playing particularly well with those clubs, even in the 36 holes prior to the final nine.
"It was just on the final nine when I was hitting it well," said Barbee, a University of Kansas golfer and former South Dakota high school champion from Dakota Dunes.
"I've been struggling (with the wedge) the last couple of weeks."
Sapp, a co-owner of Whispering Creek golf course in Sioux City, said his driver had been suspect all weekend.
But he made the final nine holes competitive with his drives. He trailed by one only stroke going into the final nine as Barbee was four under for the weekend and Sapp, three under. Barbee charged into the lead with a sizzling 31 on the back nine in his first round of the day as he dropped in five birdies. And his hot streak continued into the final nine holes.
Barbee quickly extended his lead on the first two holes, nailing a par on the par-four first hole, while Sapp missed a four-foot putt for a bogey.
On the par-five No. 2 hole, Barbee took a three-stroke lead with a birdie, while Sapp had a nice chip from the fringe to save par.
After pars on the third hole, Sapp stayed in the hunt by driving the green on a shortened par-four fourth hole. Tourney officials had moved the tee box up and Sapp hit a towering drive 280 yards, ending up on the green and putting for an eagle. His putt was short but he knocked in a three-footer for a birdie.
Barbee, meanwhile, laid up on his tee shot perhaps playing it safe with his three-stroke lead. With Sapp on in one, Barbee's wedge matched Sapp's driver. He hit his chip shot within 18 inches, but then missed his birdie putt and had to settle for a par.
The lead stayed at two for Barbee coming to what turned out to be a key hole.
Barbee's tee shot on the treacherous par-5 sixth hole landed behind a tree and he had to lay up short of the creek. But his wedge shined again as he hit his chip shot within about two feet and dropped in the putt for a birdie.
Sapp, meanwhile, hit another towering drive and his second shot landed on the green, as he was again making his charge and shooting for an eagle. But his putt fell short, and he had to settle for a birdie.
"It was a very important hole," said Barbee.
Sapp went to the par-3 seventh hole still down by only two. "I need a birdie,'" said the Sioux City golfer as he walked up to the tee box.
He didn't get it. His tee shot ended up in the sand trap, and he carded a bogey. Barbee, meanwhile, hit his tee shot to the fringe of the green and again he had an excellent chip to wiithin about a foot to get a par and his lead was back to three strokes.
Sapp showed his prowess with his driver again on No. 8 with a towering drive to within 100 feet of the hole on the par-four. He got a biridie, while Barbee had a par, but the Dakota Dunes golfer's two-stroke advantage was too much with just the ninth hole left. Barbee had a par on the ninth to finish with a 35 and a three-stroke victory over Sapp, who bogeyed the final hole for 37.
"He's a pretty good player," said Sapp about his foe. "I had a couple of chances to catch him, but every time I got a birdie, I followed it up with a bogey. I just couldn't get the ball in the hole."
Although his wedge shots were superb, Barbee let Sapp stay close by missing a few 18-inch putts. "Sometimes when you're in a competitive match like this, those 18-inchers turn into four-footers," said Barbee.
Making up the final third of the threesome in the tourney was Brian Barto of South Sioux City. He was three strokes back heading into the final nine holes and was steady with pars on the first five holes, but he just couldn't make up the deficit. He drilled the nicest putt of the final nine holes, a 25-footer, to save par on the par-3 fifth hole and stay in contention.
He finished the nine holes with a 36 and tied Sapp for second place.
Barbee will return to the University of Kansas on Aug. 20, but before that plans to try out for the U.S. Amateur national tourney in Sioux Falls on Aug. 4 and also play in the Northwest Amateur in Spencer.
Sapp, meanwhile, who has won the tourney three times, fears he's getting a little older and might not be able to keep up with the younger golfers too much longer.
He gave it a shot Sunday.
One of the other highlights of the tourney Sunday was a hole-in-one with a 6-iron on the 200-yard seventh hole by Morningside golfer Chris Rager. He finished fourth in the tourney, four strokes back of Barbee.
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