One would think someone from International Falls would travel to Arizona to pick up the game of golf. Not the other way around.
Unless you’re Mike Cocanour.
Cocanour, who got hooked on the game at 11 years old while attending a junior clinic at the Falls Country Club, won the 2010 Men’s Club Championship on Tuesday at the same course with a 2-under par 107 (71-36—107).
“Once I hit that first good shot, it was over,” Cocanour said, talking about his first junior clinic.
Cocanour graduated from Mountain Point High School in Phoenix and is currently a student at Arizona State University. His parents, Paul and Becky Cocanour, purchased an island on Rainy Lake in the mid-80s, and the family still spends summers in the area.
“I’ve been coming up here ever since,” Mike said. “Luv it. Gotta get out of the heat.”
Cocanour edged Bill Hughes (who coincidentally winters in the Phoenix area) by three shots Tuesday. Hughes, who finished at 72-38—110, trailed by only one heading into the final 9 holes, but he couldn’t catch the consistent Cocanour, who didn’t bogey down the stretch.
“I’ve felt really comfortable lately,” Cocanour said, noting he finished in second place two weeks ago in a tournament in Babbitt, and tied for third this past weekend in a tournament in Two Harbors. However, this top finish is his first in roughly 15 tournaments as an individual.
“The final 9, it was all about playing smart,” said Cocanour, who leaves Monday to go back to Arizona. “My game plan was to hit all nine greens and make some putts.”
He missed two greens on the final 9, but recovered to save par.
“My goal wasn’t to make a bogey, and I didn’t,” he said.
Travis Blais finished third with a 111 (72-39) and Derek Riley was fourth with a 112 (74-38). Defending champion Derek Fisher was eighth with a 117 (79-38).
2010 Men’s Club Championship results
(46 participants)
Mike Cocanour 71-36—107
Bill Hughes 72-38—110
Travis Blais 72-39—111
Derek Riley 74-38—112
Brett Musich 75-38—113
Andrew Katrin 77-38—115
Mike Katrin 77-38—115
Derek Fisher 79-38—117
Earl Evans 79-40—119
Championship Flight
*Net scores
Score (handicap) — Total
1. Mike Cocanour 71 (2) — 68
2. Derek Riley 74 (2) — 72
3. Travis Blais 72 (0) — 72
4. Brett Musich 75 (2) — 73
First Flight
1. Bill Hughes 72 (4) — 68
2. Mike Katrin 77 (8) — 69
3. Ryan Milette 80 (9) — 71
Second Flight
1. Earl Evans 79 (11) — 68
2. Steve Johnson 84 (10) — 74
3. Steve Rutkowsky 84 (9) — 75
4. Kirby Shofner 84 (9) — 75
Third Flight
1. Don Zeleney 81 (13) — 68
2. Kyle Olestad 85 (15) — 70
3. Brian Youso 85 (11) — 74
Fourth Flight
1. Steve Takaichi 84 (18) — 66
2. Bob Rostie 91 (17) — 74
3. Barry Miller 93 (18) — 75
Fifth Flight
1. John Gookins 93 (20) — 73
2. Don Svir 95 (20) — 75
3. Lynn Belanger 109 (34) — 75
