Lansing slide helps Hollingsworth garner win

Mike Hollingsworth had it going Sunday. Josh Lansing didn't.

Hollingsworth shot a personal-best 75 on Sunday at the Peninsula Amateur Golf Championship at Birch Ridge Golf Course in Soldotna, charging back from 10 shots behind to beat Saturday's leader, Lansing, by two strokes.

"I just played my game and figured what came out came out," Hollingsworth said after his impressive round.

Still, he said he really had no idea that his round would make up the huge deficit until the final scores were posted.

"I had no idea how (Lansing) was doing today," he said.

Not well.

Lansing carded a 17-over par 87 on a day he characterized one of the most disappointing rounds he's ever played.

"It was the worst day of the year," he said.

Lansing's trip around the course took a turn for the terrible on hole No. 3, when he mistakenly hit playing partner Gerald Winkler's ball. He said they were both playing near-identical balls, and he simply made a mistake. The error cost Lansing a two-stroke penalty, and even more psychologically.

"Those two strokes and my mental game went downhill," he said. "I tried to come back, but I couldn't."

The tough day may have spoiled Lansing's chances of winning the tourney, but his future still looks bright in the game of golf. He fired a sparkling round of 74 Saturday, and even with his clunker of a round Sunday he still managed to grab second place. Lansing also took home the award for low junior in the tournament, beating Zach Cowan by 6 strokes.

On the women's side of the action, Lisa Parker showed she's finally recovered from a wrist injury suffered two years ago by shooting a final round 92 Sunday to take home the women's championship.

"I played the best I played all year today," Parker said.

After Saturday, the women's event looked to be shaping up as quite a battle between Parker and Rita Botelho. However, Botelho was forced to withdraw after she got into a tricky water hazard at home.

While Botelho spent the day trying to find a plumber, Parker ran away with the title. She said winning the tournament was nice, though she too said she was looking forward to a showdown Sunday.

"I wish she'd have been here," she said. "I like playing with Rita."

With or without the competition, Parker said it was nice to see her game starting to return to its pre-injury form.

"This is how I used to play," she said.

This year's tournament did not draw as large a field as previous years, with only 25 entrants. Course owner Pat Cowan said he believes the tournament has been hurt by a few factors, most notably timing.

"The state amateur tournament used to be a couple weeks after, so people used the Peninsula Amateur to tune up for the state," he said, also noting that mid-July is normally when many golfers are out on the river fishing.

Cowan said he'll likely tinker with the tournament's timing in the future to try and attract a larger field.

"I'm going to change it next year," he said.

Despite the low turnout, Cowan said he was thrilled with the way this year's event shaped up.

"It turned out to be a really, really fun tournament."

Peninsula Amateur

Saturday and Sunday at Birch Ridge Golf Course, Soldotna

First and second-round scores.

Championship Flight -- 1. Mike Hollingsworth, 84-75-159; 2. Josh Lansing, 74-87-161; 3. Gerald Winkler, 81-81-162; 4. (tie) Jay Kriner 81-86-167; 4. (tie) Zach Cowan, 86-81-167; 6. Jeff Hetrick, 84-89-173; 7. Tom Allison, 85-91-176

First Flight -- 1. Marty Arnoldy, 82-80-162; 2. (tie) Gary Stackhouse 85-81-166; 2. (tie) Darell Jelsma, 85-81-166; 4. George Stein, 90-83-173; 5. Morris Redford, 83-94-177; 6. Kirk Hyman, 87-97-184; 7. Norton Dablemont, 90-105-195; 8. Gene Freindshuh, 95-101-196; 9. Aaron Andrus, 100-97-197

Second Flight -- 1. Dave Keating, 92-87-179; 2. Don McGhee, 95-98-193; 3. Dave Stein, 98-99-197; 4. Gary Dawkins, 96-104-200; 5. John Lansing, 109-119-228; 6. Jason Elson, 114-129-243

WOMEN

Championship Flight --1. Lisa Parker, 96-92-188; 2. Sharon Keating, 111-123-234; Rita Bothelo (withdrew)