Bare’s course record 64 propels him to victory

Egg Harbor Township (June 29th)---Nine birdies. A course record 64. His
first victory as a professional. It was quite a week for Tour rookie
Andy Bare, who erased a six-shot deficit with a final round 64 for a
two-stroke victory and a $13,000 payday in the inaugural Atlantic City
Hilton Classic on Wednesday. Bare broke overnight leader Noah Zelnik’s
course record 66 on the strength of nine birdies, six of which came
during a back nine 30 that sped him past the seven players who started
the day ahead of him.

"I've been swinging well for a month now,” said the 24-year-old Bare,
who was ranked 41st in the Golfweek/Titleist Amateur Rankings before
turning pro at the end of 2004. “It's starting to come together.
People might look at me as an inexperienced player, but I've been in
this situation several times. I've played in all the big prestigious
amateur tournaments. Playing under those conditions is nothing
different. It's all the same."

Corey Brigham, who missed the cut in each of his three previous events
on Tour, closed with a bogey-free 66, one of just two spotless rounds
among players who finished in the top 10.

Wightman, who tied for second with Brigham, staged an impressive back
nine rally, carding birdies on the 12th, 15th and 17th holes before
bogeying the final hole minutes after Bare birdied the 486-yard 18th.

"It's nice to have those feelings being in contention,” Wightman said
following his best finish on Tour ever. “I'm pleased. I'm playing great
now.”

Zelnik, who converted his only other second round lead into victory in
2003, offset an early bogey at the 2nd hole with birdies on the 4th and
5th. But while Bare recorded birdie after birdie on the back nine,
Zelnik could only manage pars on holes 6-13. Consecutive double bogeys
on the 14th and 15th ended his bid for victory.

Rob Oppenheim, who began the day just one shot behind Zelnik, seized the
lead early on with birdies on three of his first five holes. Like
Zelnik, though, Oppenheim’s early momentum fizzled out, as he played
the final 13 holes 2-over par.

Wednesday’s final round scoring average of 72.3 bettered Monday’s
average by more than five shots, when pounding rains and swirling winds
bedeviled the field of 100.

Next up on the schedule: The LeBaron Hills Open (July 13-15) in
Lakeville, MA.