The Garden City Telegram
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Grady starts strong
Published 8/1/2009 in Pro-Am
By BRETT MARSHALL
Pat Grady is playing in his first Southwest Kansas Pro-Am and he's already glad he made the five-hour trip from his home in Broomfield, Colo.
Grady, a graduate at the University of Colorado in Boulder and a member of the Buffaloes' golf team, enjoyed a successful senior year in the collegiate ranks. He was an all-Big 12 first team selection while also garnering honorable mention All-America honors. he was the Colorado Golf Association's Player of the year in both 2008 and 2009 as he completed his amateur career.
The first summer of playing professionally, however, hasn't been so kind to Grady, while playing in his first Pro-Am is not unfamiliar with The Golf Club at Southwind, where he posted an impressive 1-under-par 70 Friday during the first round of the 30th Pro-Am.
"It's been a it of a struggle so far," Grady said of his first summer as a professional. "I've finished fifth a couple of times, but missed the cut (last week) at the Colorado Open."
Grady was happy to have received an early tee time on a course where he has fond memories. He was in the lead group teeing off at 7:30 a.m. Friday from the No. 1 tee. It was just two summers ago when he came to Garden City in late August and went home with the High Plains Amateur Championship trophy, an event that includes the top players from Kansas and Colorado.
"The first couple of holes was OK, but then it started to blow pretty dang hard," Grady said. "It got pretty tough out there and I just tried to make sure that I kept it in play. I like the course a lot and just felt comfortable most of the day with the shots I needed to hit."
Grady made the most of his front nine opportunities with birdies on the par-5s after having eagle putts on the third and fifth holes. He bogeyed the par-4 second, but got one shot back when he hit what he described as a "stinger" 5-iron to within 10 feet at the 173-yard, par-3, ninth hole. He drained it to complete the front nine with a 33.
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