JT Johnson goes low in Senior qualifier

By Eric Morken

Alexandria Echo Press

JT Johnson is still searching for his first Resorters championship after finishing as the Men’s Executive runner-up in 2015 and 2016. He positioned himself well to make a run during the qualifying round of the Senior Division on Monday.

Johnson shot a 3-under par 69 to take the top seed into the Senior Division’s match-play portion of the tournament that opened up on Tuesday. He had just two bogeys on his card, but made up for those with five birdies on Nos. 2, 10, 12, 14 and 15.

Rick Vanyo, the 2020 champion in the division, chose to take the second seed in the field rather than qualify and risk the chance of missing the championship flight.

Steve Tax, another Resorters regular, also shot under par as he finished with a 71. Tax carded birdies on holes 5, 6, 15, 16, 17 and 18.

Alexandria’s Larry Novotny joined Bob Roach, Richard Frieburg and Mark Lindberg in shooting a 1-over par 73 during qualifying. The cut to make the championship flight in the Senior Division was an 80 carded by seven different players.

Six-time Resorters champion Steve Herzog and 2016 Senior Division winner Greg Mattson just missed qualifying for the championship flight this year. They joined Brant McLeod and Jim Lesnar