Future Masters notes: Extra 9 from Thursday

Near-miss: For more than a moment, Blake Hadden though he was about to three-peat.
His 5-iron to the 185-yard par-3 No. 13 on Thursday landed just short of the hole, bounced nicely and rolled straight for the pin.
“If it had caught the stick it would have fallen,” he said.
Instead, it lipped out and he tapped in for a 2.
Two years ago, Hadden made two aces in the Future Masters. He aced No. 11 in the opening round, then made a hole-in-one on No. 5 in the final round.
They are the only two aces the North Augusta, S.C., resident has made, which is two more than most.
Hadden said the near-miss was his only highlight on Thursday.
“I had one good one and a lot of bad ones,” he said shooting an 82.

Tough start: Hank Lebioda of Winter Springs, Fla., left Dothan Country Club with a winner’s trophy last year. He won the 13-14 age division.
He moved up an age group this year, but said the course was just like he remembered.
“It’s exactly the same,” he said. “The tees are a little farther back, but that’s no factor.”
Lebioda gutted out an opening-round 73 Thursday. The left-hander had to overcome a poor start.
“I hooked my drive out of bounds and doubled the first hole,” he said, shaking his head. “It was uphill from there.”

Early start: Andrew Barnes of Birmingham teed off at 6:30 a.m., in the first group of the day.
“It wasn’t as hot. That was probably an advantage,” said Barnes, who shot a 77. “You could be more aggressive with some putts. The greens still had a lot of dew on them and the ball wasn’t rolling out a lot.”
He knows that will change today, when he goes out at 11:40 a.m. and plays in the heat of the day.

Fast start: Thomas Wicker set the pace early. After two holes, he was 3-under par. That’s a far cry from where he thought he’d be after his first two swings.
“I started on No. 1 and hit the first drive right,” said Wicker of Minden, Nev. “The starter told me I should hit a provisional. He knows the course better than I do, so I hit another one and it went way left. I’m thinking, ‘OK, we’re gonna start the day with a 6.’”
Hardly. His first ball was in bounds by 20 feet, still 120 yards from the green. He hit a choked-down wedge that landed four feet behind the hole and spun back into the cup. Eagle.
He followed that with a 9-iron to 10 feet on the second hole and drained the birdie putt.
While the rest of the round was “a roller-coaster,” he turned in a solid 75 after that spectacular start.

Homecoming: Thomas Lydic of Champion, Ohio, is back for his eighth Future Masters. Lydic moved from Ozark to Ohio two years ago but hasn’t missed the tournament.
“It’s always fun to see everybody again,” said Lydic, who said he’s staying with family friend Bob Tibbetts in Ozark this week.
His parents, Craig and Connie Lydic, are also here this week.
He posted a one-over score at the turn but finished with an 80.

Shaking it off: Robby Prater talked about it with a smile. Tyler Vaughn could only shake his head and call it “awful.”
Both golfers had to overcome adversity in the first round. Vaughn made an 11 on the 18th hole. “I hit three balls out of bounds left,” he said.
Prater hit a tree with his iron shot on the par-3 13th hole. His ball ricocheted into the No. 1 fairway, forcing a tough shot over trees into the green.
“All I could do was laugh,” he said.

Dozier determined: A week ago, Dothan’s Tolver Dozier was in the hospital suffering from mononucleosis, tonsillitis and dehydration. Despite losing 13 pounds in four days, the 16-year-old wasn’t about to miss the Future Masters. Dozier shot a first-round 79, which is remarkable considering his weakened condition. After missing the cut for a tourney in Greensboro, Ga., last Friday, Dozier returned to Dothan and went straight to the doctor. He was then diagnosed and sent to the hospital.“The nurse didn’t think I’d be able to play,” Dozier said of the Future Masters. Dozier had no doubts.
Lesson learned: John Sadie, former Central Alabama golf coach and current pro at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park, could sympathize with Chase Averitt, who on Sunday signed an incorrect scorecard and was disqualified after his first round in the 13-14 division. Sadie did the same when he played this tourney many years go, and has sent the youngster from Hoover a letter, which reads in part: I DQ’ed myself at the age of 13 for an incorrect scorecard at the Future Masters. I came back the following years a better person and actually did well. It is something in life that makes us stronger as a person. You can do it!

In the show: Case Gard of Lakeland, Fla., wasn’t about to miss the Future Masters this time. Gard, who was late getting in his application last year, sat by a tee box throughout the first round last year as a standby player in case there was a no-show. As it turns out, Gard sat all day for nothing. He made sure to get his application in early this time. Tournament coordinator Angelia Wade Turner said Gard noted on his form: ‘‘I’m the kid that was waiting on a no-show.” Gard shot a first-round 76.