Skinns two off the lead at Dothan Classic

It’s what could have been that was gnawing at David Skinns.

A 4-under-par 68 on Friday, coupled by his opening round 66, puts the NGA Hooters Tour money leader in excellent position heading into the final two rounds of the Dothan Classic at Highland Oaks.

But it’s the way Skinns finished the second round — a double-bogey on No. 18 — that had him steaming a bit.

“It should have been a 65,” Skinns said of his score. “I’m pretty disgusted. I hate giving shots back.

“With the quality of this field, you can’t do that.”

Skinns enters today’s third round in second place, two strokes back of Australian Kurt Barnes, who followed up his first-round 65 with a 67 on Friday for a two-day 132 to lead for the second straight day.

Shawn Stefani of Baytown, Texas, follows Skinns at 135 (67-68), while Joey Lamielle of Sarasota, Fla., is four strokes off the lead at 136 (66-70).

Locally, Dothan’s Heath West was among the few players who had to finish his first round on Friday morning after not being able to finish on Thursday due to darkness. West finished at 2-under-par 70, then began his second round later Friday morning and shot a 75 and didn’t make the cut. Another local entrant, Mason Crumpler of Enterprise, missed the cut after shooting an 81 on Friday for a two-day 157.

While disappointed in his finish on Friday, Skinns was pleased with the overall round.

“Tomorrow (Saturday) is a new day,” he said. “I like the way I am playing.”

Coming into this week’s play, the native of Lincoln, England, and former University of Tennessee standout had earned $94,083 this season on the Hooters Tour, which includes two tournament wins.

As a player at Tennessee, Skinns was the 2005 SEC champion as a senior and a two-time All-American.

So how did a youngster from a city in England of around 75,000 end up at Tennessee?

“They recruited me, actually,” Skinns said. “The coach at the time came over and watched me play in a tournament back home.”

Skinns then took up an offer to visit Tennessee and liked what he saw.

Still, he found himself a bit homesick once arriving in Knoxville, Tenn.

“The first semester was really tough,” he said. “I had a girlfriend back home.”

Eventually, Skinns warmed up to his new environment. He also became a big UT football fan.

“You can’t go to Tennessee and not get into it,” Skinns said. “There’s nothing like that back home.

“I couldn’t fathom what it would be like to be at a football game before I got here. It was crazy.

“I bleed orange now.”

Last year was his first full season on the Hooters Tour, and Skinns said he felt like he began turning the corner at the pro level.

“I didn’t get the victories last year, but it was important to get a full season under my belt and find out what it’s all about,” he said.

Skinns says there is virtually no difference between the players on the Hooters Tour and those on the Nationwide Tour, which is considered just a notch below the PGA Tour.

“There are so many good players out here,” Skinns said. “You put the guys on the Nationwide Tour on this course and the scores wouldn’t be much different. If you put the guys on the Hooters Tour on the Nationwide course, it wouldn’t be much different.”

Now that he’s in contention to compete for the championship this weekend, Skinns said he won’t alter his game.

“I’m more of a consistent player,” Skinns said. “I hit my driver straight and putt well. I don’t often fire at the pins.”

After Friday’s cut, there remain 60 players in the field. Players will begin teeing off at 8 this morning.