By Tim Schmitt
Niagara Gazette
LEWISTON — Jake Katz is a jitterbug, lanky with boundless energy and sentences that never seem to end, one thought carrying into the next in conversation. And while the Williamsville product has an impressive golf resume for a local player, his biggest accomplishment prior to this summer was winning the Lonnie Nielsen Scratch Invitational at Crag Burn Country Club.
In contrast, Russell Henley is considered one of, if not the best amateur golfer in the world, a player who stands so deliberately over each shot that his final group was nearly 20 minutes behind the next-to-last group on Friday. His achievements include being named first-team All-American and placing 16th in the U.S. Open last month, tying with the likes of Lee Westwood and Jim Furyk.
When today’s final round of the 52nd Porter Cup tees off at Niagara Falls Country Club, though, the two will be together in the final group — joined by David Chung, the latest prodigy from the Stanford University golf program that produced Tiger Woods. All three stand at 8-under-par after a wild third round on Friday.
Katz buried a putt on No. 18 to earn a spot in the final pairing, finishing off a round that started slow, but gained momentum. The SUNY Binghamton senior had trouble finding the fairway on the first five holes, but made an eagle on the 417-yard No. 6, holing out a pitching wedge from 130 yards, and never looked back.
He barely missed putts on No. 14 and 15, even starting a fist pump on the latter before realizing the ball turned away from the cup.
“I never do that, I never act like that. People who do that look so stupid, and I did it myself,” Katz said of the gesture. “I was just trying to get the crowd into it. I swear 6 inches in front of the hole it was dead-center. It just hit off the right side.”
Undeterred, the Williamsville North product rolled home with a birdie, and followed Thursday’s 64 with a 65 on Friday. All while strapping his clubs on his back like any other weekend warrior.
“This is my sixth four-round tournament in seven weeks. Coming into this my dad offered (to caddy), he even said he was taking off all four days of work no matter what,” Katz said. “But I’m really playing well. It’s nice having him in the audience. I can still clearly hear him every time I make a putt.”
Also right in the hunt are Nate McCoy, who reached the clubhouse at 7-under-par, Tomas Cocha and Peter Uihlein, both at 6-under. Gavin Hall, a 15-year-old high school sophomore from Pittsford, joins Florida State’s Drew Kittleson at 5-under.
Henley labored at times, especially over a front nine that saw him post four bogeys. The University of Georgia star righted the ship in time, though, getting birdies on 11 and 13 and pars the rest of the way to finish the afternoon with a 70.
“I just wasn’t as comfortable as I was the first two days. Looking back on it now, I might have taken it too seriously. We’re just out here playing golf,” Henley said. “Two weeks from now, I’m not going to stress out over a shot that I missed. But when you put yourself in position to win, it’s hard not to take it seriously.
“I feel like (Friday) was my worst day, and that might be a good thing.”
Chung, meanwhile, rolled in four birdies on the back nine en route to a 31 that pushed him into a three-way tie. His only mistake of the day was a bogey on No. 5, and the Stanford star and third-team All-American finished with his second 65 of the week.
Katz, who said he’s played the course at least 40 times since participating in the event last year, said he was simply happy to be in the same company with players like Henley and Chung.
“When you come into this, you can’t think (about winning). Maybe a high goal is top 10,” Katz said. “It’s the number one (amateur) stroke play tournament in the world. And it’s great that it’s here, but you’ve still got to play golf.”
