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40 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend September 5, 2004 A hit to the head can’t stop Spiegel Errant shot dazes golfer, but he regroups to beat Clark and advance to quarterfinal round By DON HUNT Mail Tribune Mike Spiegel had to overcome Glenn Clark and a giant-sized headache to reach the quarterfinal round of the Southern Oregon Golf Tournament Saturday at Rogue Valley Country Club. Spiegel edged Clark 1-up in a regular men’s division match after getting hit in the forehead by an errant shot while standing near the third hole of the No. 1 course. "I heard some leaves twitch (in a nearby tree) and then bang, the ball hit me," said Spiegel, who was inadvertently struck by Todd Dixon as Dixon played the third hole. "It took me a while to clear out the cobwebs." Clark suggested that he and Spiegel take a break and allow the next group to play through, but Spiegel swallowed a couple of aspirin and kept going. "Glen told me to take all the time I needed — he was so gracious," said Spiegel, a 34-year-old investment company account manager from San Francisco. "I kind of had the shakes for the next hole or two, but after that I was OK." Advertisement Spiegel somehow won the fourth hole with a par to go 1-up and he maintained a slight lead the rest of the way. He sank a clutch downhill, 12-foot par putt on the 17th hole to remain 1-up and drained a 5-footer on the 18th to win the match. Spiegel finished the 18 holes in even-par to earn a quarterfinals matchup this morning against Californian Johan Willhoite, a 2-up winner over B.J. Boeck. "I’ve been putting great all week," said Spiegel, who had two birdies and two bogeys to go with 14 pars. "These greens are fast but I’m a good fast-green putter. I’m seeing the lines and sinking them." Spiegel grew up in the Rogue Valley, first attending Ashland schools and then graduating from South Medford High in 1988. As a teenager, he worked at RVCC cleaning clubs and picking up range balls, and it was here that he first noticed Clark. "He was starting to get good back then and he’s turned into a really good player," Spiegel said. "I knew this would be a tough match. But it was also a fun match because Glen is such a gentleman." One of the hottest golfers Saturday was Bret Breeze, who was 2-under-par through 13 holes and ended his 7-and-5 victory over Aaron Rayburn by sinking a sand wedge shot from 25 yards out. "The ball hit the flag stick and dropped straight into the hole," Breeze said. Recent North Medford High graduate Adam Browne also played well, firing a 1-under round to post a 6-and-5 victory over David Mayer in advancing to the quarterfinal round. This year marks Browne’s first voyage into the Southern Oregon tournament, but if nerves are a problem, he’s not letting it show. "I’ve played junior tournaments against some really good players and I don’t see this tournament as being that much different," shrugged Browne, who turns 19 on Tuesday. "My swing has felt great all summer. I came into this tournament thinking I could go quite a ways." Browne made a small change in his putting stance this week, moving his head forward to get his eyes perpendicular to the ball. The subtle change seemed to pay dividends Saturday as he drilled a 15-foot birdie putt on the sixth hole and an 18-footer on No. 12 for another birdie. Nick Nieto, the other 18-year-old in the field, was ousted by Tim Croft, who started his day by draining a 50-foot birdie putt on the first hole. In other men’s regular division matches Saturday, medalist Rick Dimick rolled to a 5-and-4 win over Scott Sterton; Brooks Newsom cruised to a 5-and- 4 victory over Don Gorman; and Dixon eased to a 3-and-2 triumph over Mike Ryan. The junior-senior division, meanwhile, matched boyhood friends Dave Boals and Greg Miller. The two have played golf together for some 47 years. "We started out here when we were 8-years-old," Boals said. "Our fathers were physicians and they started us early." They had met only twice previously, however, in the junior-senior division, with each beating the other once. Saturday, Miller held a one-hole lead after 15 holes, but Boals birdied the 16th and 17th holes to take the lead, then parred the 18th to get the win. "We’re always rooting for each other and it’s kind of tough when we have to play each other, but we had a good time," Boals said. In the women’s division, two of the four Nealy sisters advanced to the semifinal round. Amanda Nealy moved on with a 4-and-3 win over Trina Rasmussen and Johnna Nealy advanced with a 5-and-4 victory over Linda Johnson. The other two quarterfinal matches saw Nikki Mack earn a 3-and-2 verdict over Josie Nealy and medalist Nettie Morrison eke out a 2-and-1 win over Molly Nealy. Dan Dixon, Jim Smith, Terry Anderson and Tom Hamlin moved through the senior men’s championship bracket with victories. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? 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