We know the favorite to win the AGB Cup is Rob Nelson, the honorary professional who shot 67 in last year’s inaugural event, but there are other contenders.
Nelson is the top-ranked AGB Tour player and within his own foursome Sunday will find three other players in the top 10. Jordan Miller (No. 3) leads the charge.Miller represented Alaska well in a U.S. Open sectional qualifier last month, having earned his spot by shooting lower than Nelson in a local qualifier. If Miller can duplicate that feat, he may be holding the coveted AGB flask, which goes to the low gross score this year.
The two other contenders in the high-ranked foursome are Paul Blanche and Aaron Roth. Blanche is the No. 6-ranked golfer in Alaska and regarded by some to be the most talented player. His long driving and precise ball striking consistently set him up for low scores. Roth is perhaps the longest hitter in the amateur ranks and should enjoy flexing his muscles against Nelson’s big drives. If Roth can dial in the putter, he will have a chance.
Players outside the top foursome have an outside chance. Kevin Daniels is ranked No. 9 and his steady game is always a threat to beat anyone. Defending champion Rich Teders is No. 11 and will set the pace as the honorary first player. Teders is attempting to achieve the sure-to-be tough accomplishment of winning back-to-back AGB Cups, tough because the awarded flask will alternate between low net score and low gross each year. Teders won with net 67 (gross 70) last year.
Playing with Teders is senior sensation Benjie Sumulong, whose workout routine is world renowned on Facebook and has him looking svelte. Sumulong, sometimes known as the greenside magician is always in the hunt. Also in the Teders group are Herschel Deaton and Jung Han who recently teamed to take net honors in the Red, White and Blue tournament at Moose Run. While both players are favorites to win net prizes Sunday, both players are showing fine form lately and one never knows what could happen on the gross side.
The second tee time includes another player showing fine form of late. Trey Miller moved from 38th to 14th this week, beating Tim Ruf in a challenge match by virtue of a 74 at Palmer. Joining Miller are Chris Morin, Stan Mahlatini and Martin Kwon. Morin is a steady player from Homer who always plays to win. Mahlatini and Kwon will compare power draws from opposite sides of the ball, Mahlatini being left-handed.
Speaking of lefties, Michael Sullivan is always a force, grunting his way to big drives and rolling the rock with aplomb. Sullivan (No. 13) won the Kick Start at the Creek last month, beating a strong field that included No. 2 Greg Sanders.
Joining Sullivan’s group will be rivals Ruf and Ed Gohr, along with Josh Ashline. Ruf and Gohr are no strangers to challenging one another and talking humorous trash about it on Facebook. Ashline claims his game is a little off these days, but likes to play rounds from the red tees to get in a groove. He was spotted doing so in preparation for Sunday’s event.
Also spotted practicing Friday was Kwan Lee, who will join Daniels’ group. Lee, who touts a pro swing and a go-low potential, claims he is the worst player in the group that includes Mark McMahan and Kevin Sweeney. Both McMahan and Sweeney are more than twice the age of Lee, who just turned 21, but both will likely outdrive Lee more than once. Don’t be surprised if they each drive more than one par-4 green Sunday from the white tees.
Rick Boyles can tear it up from the white tees at AGC, bringing 68 in play for the crafty veteran who is always a threat to win gross and net in any event. Boyles joins Jeremy Peters, Heath Martin and Marcus Dolejsi, three players who will provide some highlights and hope to minimize errors along the way.
A group easy to overlook due to lack of familiarity is the one with Mike Farrell, Ross McCarthy, Paul Smith and Chad Griffith. Farrell is taking time out from his busy schedule on the Web.com tour, McCarthy is hoping to harness his power fade and Griffith is all about padding his stats on the Grint. Smith is making his AGB Tour debut and is a complete mystery. Rumors are, he is a solid player, so look out.
The final group is full of favorites to win a net prize and a good performance may set the stage for any of them to win the AGB Cup next summer. Casey Bieber, Matt Nevala and Taylor Holley are all talented, passionate players who carry handicaps higher than eight. Bieber’s 8.3 index is the lowest of the trio and he has to give five strokes to Nevala in what should be a tight match. Nobody loves golf more than Holley, who looks pretty good for a 35-year-old, primarily because he is actually 26 (inside joke). Holley broke 80 for the first time this summer and will be watching the leaderboard closely to see how his 10 handicap holds up.
