Story by Matt Byrne/NAPGT :: Photo by Kasey Hine/NAPGT
ATKINSON, NH (June 7, 2007) – Just one shot separated Michael Harris from three other contenders after the first round of the Atkinson Open.
While wind and temperatures in the mid-fifties dealt some earlier groups a minor setback, Harris, who took his first stroke a little after 9:40 a.m., said mother nature wasn’t a factor.
“We had the last tee time so I’m sure that helped a little bit temperature-wise, but it was windy the whole way,” Harris said. “It was kind of tough, when you get down in the trees the wind doesn’t really affect it, until you hit one above the tree line and [the wind] kind of hits it hard,” he said.
Birdieing the first hole, taking par on the second, and bogeying the third, Harris made the turn at a three under par 33, birdieing three more before finishing the nine.
“It was up and down,” he said. “I missed a couple short ones I’d like back, really took advantage of the par fives, made three birdies, and just hung in there the rest of the way.”
Through the back nine Harris held steady, bogeying one and birdieing two for a net one under par 35.
Also in contention for the lead is 2005 player of the year Rob Oppenheim, who is tied for second at three under par with PGA and Nationwide Tour veteran John Elliott and newcomer Greg Pieczynski.
Elliott, back on the circuit after only a few pre-season rounds, was pleased. “I played good today, but I didn’t know what to expect, you know, first tournament of the year,” Elliott said. “I was four under through ten, and I could have went five or six but I didn’t, and I made a bogey to go to three, but I played good,” he said.
Pieczynski, a newcomer to the NAPGT as well as a recent Pennsylvania State University graduate, said he was looking forward to this year’s schedule. “This tour is nice because it gives guys in the Northeast something to play,” Pieczynski said, a Wilkes Barre, PA native. “All the other tours are in the South or in the West,” he said.
Geoffrey Sisk, 2006 Atkinson Open Champion and money leader is four shots back at an even par 72, tied for eleventh. Play resumes tomorrow at 8 a.m.
