By Ryan Malashock
The Morning News

LITTLE FLOCK – Same group, different day. The three golfers who played in the final group Saturday at the NGA Hooters Tour Daisy Golf Classic will compete together again today.

Ben Briscoe extended his lead to four shots heading into today’s final round at Lost Springs Golf and Athletic Club with a 3-under-par round of 68. Briscoe, a lefty from Old Colwyn, Wales, improved to 15-under for the tournament. The two he shared the course with Saturday, Jeff Corr and Jesse Hutchins, sit four shots back at 11-under. Corr, of Longwood, Fla., shot 68 on Saturday and Hutchins, of Kirkersville, Ohio, shot 69, setting up a repeat of the final threesome.

None of the three seemed too disappointed about the prospects of seeing one another again. The trio chatted throughout their five-hour round Saturday, even discussing their favorite brands of beer as they wearily walked up the 18th fairway.

“It was awesome (Saturday),” Corr said. “Me and Jesse play all the time. We play a lot of practice rounds together. Ben and I played together a couple of times last year. We all get along great.”

They had a nice time, but they were definitely relieved to get off the course Saturday. Briscoe and Hutchins were up at 7:30 a.m. finishing their second round from the day before when play was suspended by rain.

Briscoe didn’t show too many ill-effects during his third round. He recorded four birdies and just one bogey while striking the ball well throughout most of his round. And when he wasn’t, he picked up the slack with some pretty short game play. He nearly chipped in for birdie on both of the par-3s on his back nine.

With a four-shot lead today, Briscoe said he wouldn’t change his game as he sought a “breakthrough moment.”

“I could use the confidence boost of winning here,” said Briscoe, who nearly advance to the final stage of qualifying school last year for the PGA Tour. “I’m going to stay aggressive and act like I’m down one shot as I play (today).”

Corr and Hutchins were up and down throughout their rounds. Corr bogeyed the ninth hole, but came back with birdies on four of his next five holes, including a 40-foot putt on No. 12 and a chip-in on No. 13. He then failed to get up-and-down and posted a bogey on his final hole of the day, however.

He managed to remain positive, even after watching six putts catch part of the lip of the hole and not fall.

“It really wasn’t all that frustrating,” Corr said. “I’ve been hitting the ball so well the last few weeks, so I’m just trying not to get down about some putts not going in.”

Hutchins had four birdies and four bogeys in his first 12 holes before closing with consecutive birdies on Nos. 14 and 15. The last birdie allowed him to sneak into the final group with Briscoe and Corr, a pairing that should be lively once more, Corr said.

“I mean, we’re out here for five hours,” Corr said. “So anything to get our minds off of golf for a few minutes is great.”

They’ll get a chance to chat again today.

By Ryan Malashock
The Morning News

LITTLE FLOCK – Beau Glover wasn’t thrilled.

Sure, the former Arkansas golfer wasn’t depressed about the 3-under-par 68 he shot Friday at the NGA Hooters Tour Daisy Golf Classic. But he kept thinking about what could’ve been, even after realizing he had made the cut in his first tournament as a professional.

“That really could’ve been a 65,” Glover said.

Truthfully, his round could’ve been even lower than that. Glover flashed the talent he used to rack up amateur and collegiate titles throughout his second round at Lost Springs Golf and Athletic Club. He drove the ball far and straight, routinely fired his approach shots at pins and showed deft touch with his wedges.

Now, if he could only get some more putts to fall. The sight of Glover slapping his putter-head with an open hand was common Friday. Sometimes, he slammed the putter to the ground. Other times, he simply stared up at the sky as his putts scooted past the hole or caught the lip.

“I hit a bunch of greens,” Glover said. “I hit all but two greens, and I hit a bunch of good putts that just didn’t go in.”

Glover was part of a group of Arkansans who experienced a quality Friday of golf before rain suspended play. None of the golfers who teed off Friday afternoon finished their rounds, and they will resume play this morning at 7:30 a.m.

Heading into today’s third round, Glover is tied at 2-under-par with Springdale’s Jon Whittaker (68 on Friday) and Little Rock’s Luke Bakke (69). Little Rock’s Brett Taunton is one shot better after firing a 69 to improve to 3-under.

Despite the frustration of missing so many close putts, Glover remained positive. That was more evident on the par-3 sixth hole, his 15th of the day since he started on the back nine. On his previous two holes, Glover recorded his only bogey of the day and missed a short birdie putt. He then missed the green long on No. 6. Glover chipped up to about 12 feet and drained the par putt.

He finished with a birdie and two pars.

“That’s part of his maturation process,” said Glover’s father, George, who walked the course. “He’s a lot more calm now than he was in junior golf and even in college.”

Even then, Glover’s talent was tough to miss. Growing up in North Little Rock and then at the University of Arkansas, Glover put together a decorated amateur career. He was named Arkansas’ Junior Golfer of the Year three times as a teenager, and he won the Arkansas State Amateur last summer.

His eligibility up, Glover spent this last year working toward his degree and spending time with his girlfriend, Kelli, who caddied for him Thursday and Friday. He figures he’ll try to Monday-qualify for a few more tournaments this summer before gearing up for Q-School.

For now, though, he just wants to soak in the experience of his first pro event. The paycheck at the end won’t hurt, either.

“I’m just going out there and trying to have fun,” Glover said. “I really want to buckle down, treat golf as a job and give myself a chance to be successful. But I still want to have a good time out there.”