FORMER NEW MEXICO STAR BRINGS THE HEAT TO COLUMBIA

David Ladd

Columbia SC. – Joel Hendry of Hilton Head Island, SC fired a second-round 65 in the Tarheel Tour's third annual Columbia Open on Wednesday and will now take a one-shot lead heading into Thursday's final round.

Hendry, who played his college golf at the University of New Mexico, began his second round on the back nine at Columbia Country Club with a bogey at the relatively simple par-4 10th – not exactly the start that gets a player thinking of 65. Birdies at 13 and 15 brought Hendry's card back to one-under par, and then it was time to devour the docile front nine. Hendry used eagles at Nos. three and seven, along with birdies at two and six to dominate his closing nine with a 6-under-par 30 and a round of 65 that had seemed less likely four hours prior. With a two-round total of 10-under-par 134, Hendry leads a strong field of players eagerly awaiting their chance to capture this week's glory.

Trailing Hendry by a single shot are Kyle Dobbs and Lee Stroever. Dobbs, whose bogey-free round of 64 on Wednesday was the round of the day, positioned the West Palm Beach, FL resident for a run at the Columbia Open title on Thursday. Dobbs has made over $100K on various mini-tours this year and has kept his good play going on the Tarheel Tour this week, all in preparation for PGA TOUR Qualifying School, which looms around the corner.

Stroever, a resident of Jupiter, FL, set the front nine at Columbia Country Club ablaze with a staggering seven birdies and two pars, good enough for an outward nine of 29. Stroever would cool off considerably on the closing nine with two bogeys and one birdie on the par-4 16th, which left him with an inward nine of 37 and a second-round 66. The former star of Rollins College's 2002 Division II National Championship team managed to place himself in Thursday's final pairing, thanks in part to a fantastic 29.

First-round leader David Ladd followed up his 67 with a second-round 70, and now sits three shots behind Hendry.

Through 36 holes at Columbia Country Club, players have received a good dose of what awaits them at Q-School this fall. Firm greens that are running close to 12 on the stimpmeter greeted players harshly on Tuesday and only let up slightly on Wednesday. The final round of the Columbia Open, coupled with the Tarheel Tour's notorious closing-day hole locations, is sure to provide fans and players alike plenty of fireworks!

The 36-hole cut fell at one-over-par 145, with 52 players making it to Thursday's final round with a shot at the winner's check of $15,000.

The final round will begin at 8:30 A.M. on Thursday morning. The tournament is open to the public and free of charge.