A.J. Elgert made it through Thursday without a bogey. Brandon Crick made it through the first-time, first-tee jitters.
They were among the Midlands pros who had solid first rounds at the Cox Classic.
Elgert, who got into the field through open qualifying Monday, matched the 67 by Nationwide Tour member and former Omahan Scott Gutschewski on opening day at Champions Run.
“It was smoke and mirrors,'' Elgert said. “I saved par from bunkers, from high grass, from everywhere for the first 11 holes.''
Crick, making his pro debut after completing his final two seasons at Nebraska, was at 68 along with Miracle Hill teaching pro Jon Petersen.
Crick birdied his first hole and his final two.
“Yeah, I was nervous, especially the first hole,'' the McCook resident said. “It was a lot of fun to see this many come out and support me,''
Gutschewski had his second-best start in five Cox Classic appearances. He birdied two of his final three holes after a bogey 6 on the course's sixth hole.
“I made a mess of it,'' he said. “I had a 6-footer for par that caught a little bit of the hole, but it didn't deserve to go in. You hate to make bogeys out here. They feel like double bogeys.''
York's Raul Cortes came back from a nightmarish start to his first Nationwide tournament — bogey, triple bogey, bogey — to get to even for the day before bogeys on the 16th and 18th holes left him at 2-over 73.
Sponsor's exemption Brady Schnell, an ex-Omahan, had a bogey-double bogey opening and needed birdies on 16 and 18 to muster a 75. Shane Zywiec of Seward had 77.
Golf with Trump
Since Trump National in New Jersey is his home course, Jim Herman has played a lot of golf with the Donald.
“I don't know how many stories I have about him, but every time when I'm going against him if I'm leading, somehow we're all square at the turn,'' Herman said. “He can hold his own. He drives it well and is a great putter. Don't get in a putting contest with him.
“I wouldn't give him right now anymore than five (strokes) a round, and tees (letting him play from a shorter distance).”
Herman, who shot 65 Thursday, is trying to make the cut in Omaha for the first time in three appearances. Two years ago, he made eagles on the fifth and sixth holes while shooting 64 in the second round, and he still was gone for the weekend.
This year, the Cincinnati native comes in as the winner of the Moonah Classic in Australia that was the second event of the season. The tour then went three weeks before another event.
“You had time for a party or two and think about it, then I came back and wasn't scoring well,'' he said. “That's not good for confidence coming off a win, but since Athens (early May) I've missed only one cut. But there were no top-10s that I like to have.''
Wesleyan coach is caddy
Amateur sensation Morgan Hoffmann of Oklahoma State, whose tie for eighth last week got him into the Omaha field, had Nebraska Wesleyan men's golf coach Brett Balak as his caddy.
Hoffmann ended at 6 under with a birdie on his last hole, the par-4 ninth.
Ticket confusion
Contrary to the tournament's media guide, the tournament did not sell ticket booklets at reduced prices this year.
Tournament Director Chad Mardesen said low demand in past years caused the tournament to discontinue the booklets, but the media guide wasn't updated.
— Stu Pospisil
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