By
Tom Johnston
Greg Rios posted an early afternoon 69 to take the clubhouse lead amongst the amateurs playing in the inaugural Quad City Open golf tournament at Glynns Creek Golf Course.
Not a bad birthday present to himself after turning 38 on Thursday.
As odd as it may sound, the teacher and boys' golf coach at Davenport West High School hoped his 3-under score wouldn't hold up heading into the second of the three-day event. This is the fifth of eight full-field 2005 National City Bank Amateur Tour events.
That birthday wish didn't come true as he maintained the lead after the opening round.
"I like to chase," said Rios. "I feel more comfortable knowing what I have to score. I like having a target score as opposed to setting the bar."
Like it or not, the defending NCB Am Tour Player of the Year did set the bar -- and it could have been even higher.
Already on the board before Rios finished was Dusty Drenth's 2-under 70. That was matched in the afternoon by Kevin Kilstrom and St. Ambrose transfer Ben Hanson, who tied for the Quad City Amateur title two years ago. Hanson overcame an out-of-bounds penalty for his 2-under.
Adam Seitz was in at 71. Mark Drenth, Kirk Trede and Cedric Bertin were at 72. Twenty-two golfers were at 3-over 75 or better, including the amateur tour's two point leaders, Steve Schwabe and Dan Fisher, both in at 75.
The NCB Am Tour competitors will be playing for the low 40 scores today as they try to make it to Sunday's final 18 holes of the 54-hole event.
Liking it or not, Rios is leading that charge thanks to a smooth 3-under 33 on Glynns' back 9 to open his day. He carded birdies on three par-4 holes -- 10, 13 and 18. After two pars to start the front, he found serious trouble on the short par-4 No. 3.
"I was trying to play safe and hit a terrible drive right that kicked right into the junk," said Rios. The unplayable position led to a drop that "was a down-hill lie on the hardpan. I left that short and couldn't get up-and-down" as he finished with a double-bogey 6.
Rios got those back, though, with birdies on the downwind par-5 7th and 9th holes. He admitted to a bit of good fortune on No. 7, hitting 3-wood from 235 yards.
"It two-hopped and drilled the pin," said Rios. "It would have been gone if it hadn't."
Dustin Drenth, a junior-to-be at Bettendorf High School, had a round of 2-under that featured four birdies to offset a couple of bogeys. Bulldog teammate Adam Seitz had four birdies and three bogeys in his 1-under round.
Trede may have received Friday's "salvage award." Using his driver as a walking stick down the 12th fairway, the shaft snapped in two. He was 3-over through his first four holes. Hitting 3-wood off the tee the rest of the way, he posted four birdies and a bogey to finish even-par 72.
Amateur scores
Men's division
Greg Rios 69, Dustin Drenth 70, Ben Hanson 70, Kevin Kilstrom 70, Adam Seitz 71, Cedric Bertin 72, Mark Drenth 72, Kirk Trede 72, Dean Cavanaugh 73, Tim Flaherty 73, Brian Soucinek 73, Chris Wilkins 73.
Dave Holmes 74, Justin Leas 74, Josh Nelson 74, Duane Stelly 74, Kraig Theesfeld 74, Tom Busch 75, Dan Fisher 75, Tom Miler 75, Scott Petty 75, Drew Phinney 75, Steve Schwabe 75.
Chad Coppinger 76, Jeff Dingman 76, Keith Fleck 76, Chris Manor 76, Tyler Pitlick 76, Andy Brooks 78, Jerod Carlson 78, Martin Chute 78, Tom Payne 78, Andy Petersen 78, Roger Thompson 78, Dan Winters 78.
Dale Cary 79, Chad Ehrhart 79, Jamie Hallstrom 79, Daryl Hansmeier 79, Ricky Hoyt 79, Mason Linn 79, Nick Oliver 79, Chris Pauwels 79, Evan Broderson 80, Derek Fiscus 80, Phil Grchan 80, K.C. Jones 80.
Ron Rode 81, Travis England 82, Blaine Kernan 82, Dean Lowery 82, Rob Middleton 82, Mel Owens 82, Collin Burich 83, Steve Cottrell 83, Billy Heggen 83, Dan Senatra 83.
Mike Brewster 84, Sean Cary 84, Dennis Zaruba 84, Robert Tunberg 85, Ryan VanDeRoystyne 85, Jeff Gunderson 86, James Turner 86, Jay Johnson 88, John Flaherty 90, Anthony Long 91, Jeffrey Bass 93, David Steele 96.
Men's senior division
Dave Waugh 70, Gary Brotherson 72, John Brooke 74, Ed Dooley 75, Mike Festing-Smith 75, Bob Moeller 75, Barry Black 76, Steve Landauer 77, Darrell Reynolds 77, Ron Johnson 78, Steve Summers 78, Dave Lackey 79, Reed Swensen 80, Jerry Skaala 81, John Westensee 82, Randy Jones 83, Tom Swanwick 83, Ken Davis 84, Carlos Salaber 84, Marion Strickler 84, Cameron Reed 87.