Last year’s headline for the Smokey Bear Invitational preview article in The Daily Journal was “Will youth reign, or experience prevail?”
Youth prevailed on the course again as Virginia’s Tyler Hill became the third straight champion 21 years old or younger. Brandon Hartzell, last year’s runner-up, won it in 2008, and Matt Schneider won it in 2007.
The experienced players will have extra ammunition this weekend as six-time champion Jeff Lindvall returns for his first Smokey Bear Invite since 1991.
However, with the removal of the 18-year-old age limit, the 56th Smokey Bear will feature even more youth. At least four players from the Bronco boys golf team plan to participate. The move was made because the tournament struggled over the past couple of years to fill. Plus, the young players being added are capable golfers in a competitive tournament.
“We haven’t been full the last couple years, but interest is up,” tournament director Dave Cronin said Tuesday. Cronin expects a full tournament with 120 participants.
“Looking forward to the same wonderful time it usually is,” Cronin added.
The top six finishers in the Championship Flight return from last year — Hill, Hartzell, Casey Hill, Nathan Brewinski, Travis Blais and Bob Mason. Lindvall, the only Bronco to capture a state individual golf championship (1971), is rumored to be playing good golf with a handicap under 5. Also expected to shoot low scores are Schneider, three-time champ Eric Walls, Zach and Ben Zieman, Mike Cocanour, Derek Fisher and Andrew Katrin. The four Broncos expected to play are Glenn Walls, Brett Musich, Derek Riley and Jeff Shermoen.
The Ross Memorial begins Friday at 1 p.m., while a full two days of Smokey events begin Saturday morning.
