By Tom Reck
The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE
May 05, 2008 11:55 pm
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Chad Collins enjoyed his busman’s holiday playing golf last weekend at Geneva Hills.
The PGA Tour player from Cloverdale and his father, Steve, competed in the two-man scramble at the course in Vermillion County and placed second to Larry Fossi and Larry Griffin.
The younger Collins says he often plays the course when he is home. “It’s relaxing,” he said Sunday.
The 29-year-old golfer turned pro in 2001 and is in his first season on the big tour. He’s been in eight events and has earned $61,221.
He was on the Hooters Tour for three years and Nationwide Tour for three more and qualified for the main tour by being in the top 25 in money winnings a year ago on the Nationwide Tour. The 25 qualifiers from the Nationwide Tour and 25 qualifiers from Q School are assigned numbers to determine their status for the weekly events.
He was first alternate for the tournament last week and next should be in the AT&T Classic in Georgia.
His best finish came in the first event played in Hawaii when he tied for 25th.
He said his best 18-hole score so far has been 66 or 67 while his best competitive score ever was a 61 recorded at Forest Park when he won the Brazil Open.
He was one of the youngest members of the featured foursome of the Terre Haute city tournament when he was in high school at Cloverdale. He said he never played in the state finals but he earned NCAA Division III All-America status four years at Methodist College.
Collins says one of his favorite courses is Redwood Meadows in Canada.
“Winged Foot is awesome … and Pebble Beach is another,” he said.
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• On the run — Runners with ties to the area have been busy in recent events.
The achievements of Tom Dever were noted in Monday’s newspaper.
Former Indiana State runner Jordan Fife was second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 8:36.69 at the Mt. Sac Relays in California, the second-best time for an American in the event this season.
Two Terre Haute South graduates — brothers Thad and Chris Meyer — competed in different events on two coasts.
Thad was in a 24-hour endurance run in Virginia and placed third overall in the competition. He works for the government in Washington, D. C.
Chris was sixth in his age group in a triathlon in Arizona, competing on a course used by the pros. He is a member of the U.S. Border Patrol.
• • •
• Coaching update — Two Putnam County high schools are looking for new boys basketball coaches.
Brian Gardner has resigned at South Putnam after coaching the Eagles two years and 13 years in all on the staff.
Wes Peek resigned after compiling a 19-43 mark at North Putnam to take the same job at Milan.
• Ryan Good is the new football coach at Attica. He played at Franklin College and was on the staff at Manchester last year.
n Steve Meurer is the new girls basketball coach at North Knox. He was an assistant last year for the Warriors and previously coached at Union and North Daviess, compiling a 143-116 record in 12 seasons.
• Kathi Bennett, who formerly coached women’s basketball at Evansville and Indiana, has joined the Wisconsin staff.
• • •
• Tom-Cattin’ It — Illinois softball and baseball teams begin tournament play next week. Paris and Casey both are having great softball seasons and meet today at Casey.
Martinsville will meet Maroa-Forsyth in a baseball game after a St. Louis-Pittsburgh game in St. Louis on June 1.
• Dominique Ferguson, a 6-foot-9 sophomore at Lawrence North, says he will play college basketball at Kentucky.
Levi Holscher of South Knox will go to Southern Indiana. He averaged 18.2 points and 4.2 rebounds for the Spartans last year.
Maurice Creek, a 6-5 junior guard from South Kent, Conn., says he will sign with Indiana in the fall. He is ranked 63rd among all players in the country by one service.
• Stephanie Fougerousse of White River Valley hurled two no-hitters last week in softball action.
• In a change made by the Indiana High School Athletic Association for basketball, teams that drew byes in sectionals will no longer play each other but will be matched with first-round winners.
• Terre Haute North grad Ryan Nevill continues to swing a nice bat for Dayton in baseball.
He was hitting .283 for the season before going 4 for 7 with two doubles in the Flyers’ 15-inning loss to Massachusetts in Atlantic-10 action.
Tom Reck may be contacted by telephone at (812) 232-3231, by e-mail at treck@ma.rr.com or by mail at 4276 South 5th Street, Terre Haute, IN 47802.
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