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Print publication date: May 29, 2006
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By Tom Johnston, tjohnston@qconline.com
Tim Flaherty will never be mistaken for a college kid anymore; and his golf
swing may not be as smooth as it once was either.
But Flaherty harbors no grudges toward the college kids who had it rolling Sunday
at the Quad City Amateur golf tournament at Emeis
Golf Course. In fact, the 44-year-old Flaherty had nothing but praise for
21-year-old Brady Schnell, who won the title by a stroke with a final-round
5-under 67 and 8-under 136 total.
"Brady's a great player," said Flaherty. "I think it's great
that these kids are playing (on the National City Bank Amateur Tour). These
kids are good and you know that; it makes you dig down and concentrate a little
harder. I think it's great for the Tour and going to help it; that's the future
of this Tour."
Schnell, the son of Curt Schnell, Crow Valley Country Club's Director of
Golf, has higher aspirations, though. The senior-to-be and the No. 1 player for
the University of Nebraska team has his sights set on a professional playing
career and not following his teaching dad. Brady qualified last summer for the
U.S. Amateur and showed the local ams some of his
skills in his first trips around Emeis in his first
QC Am.
"This course is pretty forgiving," said Schnell, who recently
finished NCAA Regional play in
Schnell said he averaged 72.15 for the spring season at
"It definitely gives you more confidence," he said. "There
are some good players in this tournament and it's always nice to win. It
doesn't matter what tournament it is -- obviously, it would be nicer to win the
U.S. Am, but a win is a win."
This will probably be the last time Schnell plays an NCBAm
Tour event this summer as he plans on traveling the
That may be the best news of all for the NCBAm
regulars, including Flaherty (69-68--137) and other top-seven finishers and NCBAm members Brian Soucinek
(69-70--139, T3), Chris Wilkins (71-70--141, T6), and first-round leader Greg
Rios (67-74--141, T6). Another college player,
Despite not getting the victory, Flaherty will earn the championship points
as the top finishing NCBAm member. He also walked off
with the satisfaction of playing a good round.
"To come in and not make any bogeys in the final round was kind of
nice," said Flaherty. "I was very, very happy with the way I
played."
Other Sunday QC Am winners were: Steve Schwabe
(78-70--148), Championship A; Drew Phinney
(81-71--152), Championship B; Dan Dalziel
(72-66--138), Senior Championship; Alan Blackwood (80-74--154), Senior A; Patti
Lee (79-81--160), Women; Dennis Wiltfang
(76-78--154), Super Seniors; Mike Kammerman
(76-73--149), Men's A; and Joe Showalter (83-83--166), Men's B.