Men's State Team Blog

Guys quit professional golf for a variety of reasons. Mostly it's not playing well enough and running out of finances to keep the dream alive.

For Scott Shingler of Haymarket, Va., it was to help his wife finish dental school. Shingler worked as a club professional at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in suburban Washington, D.C., when a few members helped sponsor him to play the Golden Bear Tour in Florida. For two years, Shingler played solid, but good enough golf to bring in the big paychecks. By then, his wife was going through her residency to become a dentist. So to help make ends meet, Shingler gave up the pro golf lifestyle to help pay the bills.

When his wife became a certified dentist, Shingler went to work as one of her assistants.

"We have a number of assistants and I'm one of them," said the 38-year-old Shingler after carding a 4-under-par 67 in the final round of the USGA Men's State Team Championship on Thursday. "Hopefully, she doesn't fire me."

Shingler certainly was firing on all cylinders on Thursday at Mayacama Golf Club. He made six birdies against two bogeys to set himself up for individual medalist honors. He finished the 54-hole competition at 4-under 209. He carded a pair of 71s the first two rounds.

Shingler credited some of his success in the final round to finally getting accustomed to the Jack Nicklaus design.

"You knew where the slopes were on the greens and where to miss," he said. "You knew when you had a green light and could go at a pin versus if you had a yellow light you had to play more conservative and take your 15- or 20-footer and hopefully make that. I was fortunate to make a couple of those today."

Shingler made a solid up-and-down par at the par-5 ninth, his last of the day, to secure the 67.

"That ... may be the one stroke that gets me that [individual] medal. That would be great. -- David Shefter

Perhaps John Taylor, the non-playing Utah team captain, summed up his squad's plight the best on Thursday with this comment: "We get to throw out one score each day in this event. I wish we could throw out one day."

Indeed, Utah might be holding the USGA Men's State Team Championship trophy if it wasn't for a rough second round on Wednesday. Utah, which posted an even-par 142 in the first round on Tuesday, struggled to a 15-over 157 on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Utah regained its form with a 3-under 139 score, thanks to a 2-under-par 69 from Dan Horner and a 70 by Kirk Siddens.

"One poor round," said Horner shaking his head near the scoring tent adjacent to the 18th green.

Horner, who played collegiately at Rutgers University, produced five birdies in his round, four coming on the more-challenging outward nine. He made a nice up-and-down birdie on 18 to close the round, making a 10-footer.

Horner will have a chance to continue his good play in nine days when he tees it up at the U.S. Mid-Amateur at Atlantic Golf Club in Bridgehampton, N.Y. -- David Shefter

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more stylish golfer in the Men's State Team Championship field this week than the District of Columbia's Kevin McDonnell. Today, McDonnell, who plays out of Chevy Chase C.C. in Maryland, wore a pin-striped Oxford dress shirt with a tie to complete his first round in the morning and then play his scheduled second round. He looked more like a lawyer going to an arbitration chase than a guy trying to break 80.

When asked if he was trying to emulate the classic look of Bobby Jones, the affable McDonnell replied: "I'm not playing like him." McDonnell carded a 95 to go with his 91.

But all that pales in comparison to what happened to McDonnell this past winter. While at the National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., he noticed a car was in flames. Somehow, a voice inside told McDonnell to rescue the passenger, which he did moments before the vehicle exploded into flames. He saved the man's life.

"He still hasn't thanked me yet," said McDonnell, sitting just outside the Spanish-style Mayacama clubhouse late Wednesday.

Nevertheless, saving someone's life is far more heroic than anything McDonnell could produce on the golf course. -- David Shefter

We've got our first big move of the second round at the 2010 USGA Men's State Team Championship. Georgia, bidding to win its first title and join Pennsylvania and Minnesota as the only states to have won both the Men's and Women's competitions, is three under par through nine holes and has a one-shot lead over Washington. David Noll Jr. obviously loves the second nine at Mayacama Golf Club as he has posted his second consecutive 3-under 32 on the inward side. On Tuesday, he struggled to a 42 on the outward nine. Adam Cooper is even par through nine and Doug Hanzel, who carded a 68 on Tuesday, is three over.

But the outward nine at Mayacama has proven to be the more challenging side. So Georgia still has nine tough holes remaining in round two.

Don't count out Rhode Island either. The Ocean State is two under through nine holes as both Garrett Medeiros and Bobby Leopold turned in 34. They also started on No. 10. Rhode Island finished in a tie for fourth last year, its best-ever showing at the Men's State Team Championship. -- David Shefter

The competitive course record at Mayacama Golf Club is a 66 and that number may be broken this week at the Men's State Team Championship. Mike Ballo Jr. of Stamford, Conn., carded a 67 on Tuesday morning and two players are threatening that number in the afternoon wave. Robert Nelson of Mobile, Ala., is five under through nine holes and Heath Myers of Kingfisher, Okla., was four under through nine holes. Each has the more-difficult first nine at Mayacama to play.

All the golfers I have talked to feel the first nine is more challenging. We'll see if Nelson or Myers can put themselves in the record books.

The lowest 18-hole round in USGA Men's State Team history is a 64 posted by three players, including Jon Troutman of Kansas in last year's first round at the Country Club of St. Albans. Troutman is not in this year's field. But Ricky Jones of Maine, who is in the field, shot a 64 at Charles River C.C. in 2003.

Heavy fog has forced a suspension of play at the 2010 USGA Men's State Team Championship at Mayacama Golf Club. -- David Shefter 

Despite some early morning fog, play has begun at the USGA Men's State Team Championship at Mayacama Golf Club in Santa Rosa, Calif. The fog is expected to lift around 8 a.m. PDT and temperatures are expected to climb into the upper 70s by this afternoon.

For those following on the website, the scoring updates will come after nine holes.

By the way, the players have been raving about Mayacama and what's not to like. The golf course is outstanding and the hospitality shown by the members, staff and volunteers has been terrific.

Both the Welcome Party on Sunday and Monday's Players' Dinner were given major thumbs up by the contestants.

Now we can sit back and enjoy some quality golf. -- David Shefter