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Dennis Miller leads Ohio Open
Photo
Mill Creek Golf Course golf director Dennis Miller
STAFF report
CONCORD TWP.
Two Valley men are among the top four after two rounds of the Ohio Open golf tournament.
Dennis Miller of Canfield, the pro at Mill Creek Golf Course, leads the event with rounds of 65-69 for a 36-hole total of 8-under 134.
Tied for fourth is Garrett Frank of Austintown, a regular on the Canadian Tour, who had the low round on Tuesday — 7-under 64 — for a two-day score of 6-under 136.
Miller led after the first day with a 65 at Quail Hollow Country Club.
“This is the best I’ve hit the ball in a long time,” said Miller, 40. “I’m hitting the ball really close to the hole. I can’t hit it any better than I am. Hopefully I can get some birdies and win this tournament.”
Miller has a one-shot lead over Vaughn Snyder (70-65) of Massillon and Bob Sowards (67-68) of Dublin.
Frank is tied with David Champagne (69-67) of North Canton.
Miller said he wasn’t even going to enter the tournament.
“The day before the deadline, they [Northern Ohio PGA] called me and asked me to play,” he said. “They were like ‘why aren’t you in the tournament?’ and convinced me to enter. I wasn’t going to play because I didn’t think I would do well.”
Miller shot his 65 in the first round on Quail Hollow’s Weiskopf Course. He played Tuesday on the Devlin Course.
He birdied two of the three par 5s on the front nine, and birdied the par-4 13th hole before closing with a bogey on the closing hole.
He’s made just 65 putts over the first 36 holes, and has missed only three greens in regulation.
“Today was like a scratch-three round,” said Miller. “I had good drives and an easy two-putt. There were a little nerves, but I’m more excited than anything.
“I know I have to shoot under par [today],” he said. “I think I’m hitting it well. If I play as well as I have been, I think I can win it.”
Frank, 38, had a bogey-free round on Tuesday, making three birdies on the front nine and four coming in on the Devlin course.
He started out well on Monday, making three birdies, but was hurt by a triple-bogey 7 on the par-4 10th at the Weiskopf course, and bogey on No. 17.
Frank is third in the tournament field with 10 birdies for the 36 holes.