Zackheim Glides to 63 at River Side, leads Portland Open
Zelnik leads host of Cleveland Stars within shouting distance
Portland, ME-Eli Zackheim must have been jumping for joy when he found out that Geoff Sisk was not playing in this week’s Greater Portland Open. Following two runner-up finishes to Sisk in the last two events they played in, it is easy to see why. “No Sisk in the field always helps,” said Zackheim, who fired a personal best round of 8-under par 63 yesterday to take a one shot lead over playing companion Noah Zelnik. The two Cleveland stars fed off of each other right from the very beginning, as Zelnik countered Zackheim’s opening 10 foot birdie putt with an 8 footer of his own. 4-under par heading into the 12th, Zackheim made a crafty up and down from a tricky position in a greenside bunker to save par. That save “really kept things going,” he said. Momentum in hand, he then eagled the par five, 13th hole. Not only did he have it going yesterday, but Zackheim has been in a considerable groove for the past few weeks. In his last seven rounds in New England, he is a combined 19-under par. He does not, however, see this as a particularly exceptional stretch. “In all honesty, this is where I should be,” he said Zelnik, meanwhile, took advantage of a putting tip he received from Billy Downes en route to shooting a bogey free 64. “I have to give Billy a lot of credit,” said Zelnik, who concentrated on accelerating through the ball instead of jabbing at it. After disappointing finishes in his last two events, he is “hoping to play solid down the stretch” on the final two days. “My whole goal is to contend every week,” he added. Despite their combined 13 birdie, one eagle and no bogey effort, they have not run away from the rest of the field. Laying just two shots back of Zackheim at 5-under par are Michael Alberico, Rick Karbowski and Matt Donovan, who is still riding the momentum he created with a final round 67 in last week’s Mass Open. With windless conditions on an already short golf course, low scores are expected to become commonplace over the final two days. “These guys are not going to come back to us,” said Donovan. “I’m going to have to turn this 66 into a 63 or 64 tomorrow,” he added. Six other players are at 3-under par, including Jerry Courville, Corey Harris, Eric Egloff and Justin Goodhue. The trio of David Schuster, Jim Hallet, and David Gunas sit one shot back of them at 2-under par and William Link IV and Adam Williamson lead a pack of players at 1-under par 71. |
