Mulder shoots course record 61 in opening round of GCRO; Tournament shortened to 36 holes
Marion, Iowa // July 23, 2011
(Marion, Iowa) –(Saturday, July 23, 2011) – Former Waterloo West High School standout Brock Mulder fired a course record 11-under-par 61 Friday to cease the clubhouse lead in the 13th Annual Greater Cedar Rapids Open at Hunters Ridge Golf Course.
First round play was suspended at 8:15 p.m. Friday due to lightning with about 50 players still on the course. Due to impending weather, the completion of first-round play at the GCRO will begin at 10:30 a.m. today. The tournament has been shortened to 36 holes with no cut.
Today’s originally-scheduled morning tee times will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday’s originally-scheduled afternoon tee times will begin at 7 a.m., Sunday.
Now a resident of Dallas, Texas, Mulder didn’t let a three-hour morning rain delay affect his game. Starting on the back nine, the Southern Methodist University graduate carded six birdies and three pars for an opening nine 30.
On his second nine, Mulder birdied the par 5 second hole and the par 4 fifth hole before carding an eagle on the downwind 590-yard par 5 sixth. He added a birdie on the par 3 eighth hole and finished his second nine with a 31. The previous competitive course record was a 62 by Steve Thomas of Tupelo, Miss. Thomas, a regular at the GCRO, also is in the field this year in both the open and senior divisions.
“Brock shooting a 61 was incredible,” said Judd Cornell, who minutes earlier had posted the leading score with an 8-under-par 64. “You don’t see that very often in golf. It doesn’t matter where you’re playing…that’s incredible golf.”
A native of Omaha, Neb., Cornell started on the back nine and recorded four birdies. He had two birdies and, like Mulder, also eagled the sixth hole. He currently sits in second place.
Tom Bliefnick of Decatur, Ill., posted a 6-under-par 66. Bliefnick had seven birdies but bogeyed the par 5 second hole.
In a group of golfers at 68 were Justin Yoder (Warrensburg, Mo.), Connor McHenry (Jefferson City, Mo.), Ben Herrera (Clive, Calif.), Bobby Bode (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)., and Blayne Hobbs (Anthem, Ariz.).
For information about the tournament, visit www.gcropen.com or call Co-Founder Jim McPartland at 319-310-5745. If you would like to volunteer at this year’s tournament, call Gregg Klocke at 319-533-2256 or send an email to gklocke@aegonusa.com. Emails also can be sent to gcropen@gmail.com.