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DALLAS — Twice before, Mike Lazevnick helped play his team into position for a Potentate Tournament title, only to watch someone else walk away with the trophy.
He believes this may be the year he finally gets the grand prize.
Lazevnick and his second-year partner Robbie Michaels blistered the Back Mountain golf course on qualifying day at the Potentate by shooting a 6-under 66 Friday to earn medalist honors at the Irem County Club.
“I’ve played in the Finals twice. Never finished the deal,” Lazevnick said.
He might have his best shot yet.
Teaming with old Lake-Lehman High School sports star Robbie Michaels, Lazevnick sank four birdies while his partner added three. The pair had just one bogey, on the 17th hole, and finished with the most birdies of opening day.
“Both of us played great,” said Michaels, a standout member of the Wilkes University baseball teams in the early 1990s that featured major league reliever and Bishop Hoban grad Kevin Gryboski. “When you have seven birdies and one bogey, your score’s going to be pretty good. Very enjoyable, stress-free day.
“It was a nice in-and-out.”
Tom Klimek simply put one in right off the tee on the seventh hole, drilling his first ace to reach the championship flight with his partner Lynn Kilduff.
And nearly as impressive was the putting of Greg Mascioli, who sank a pair of 40-footers on the back nine.
Mascioli, fresh off a victory in the Allan Tournament at Fox Hill while teaming with Mark Answini, entered the Potentate with a new teammate in Matthew Hoover.
They shot a 68 as one of seven teams to finish under 70.
“They’re both great guys, it’s tough to compare the two,” Mascioli said. “Both of them are happy-go-lucky, a lot of fun, great players. Today was a lot of fun. Matt was there through the entire day. He played the better golf of the two of us. I’m lucky to have really great playing partners.”
Maybe so, but Mascioli nailed a couple of beauties down the stretch to add to the excitement. He rolled in a long-distance putt on the 14th hole, then hit his final shot from the far edge of the green on 18.
“They were just lucky putts,” Mascioli shrugged.
Luck will have little to do with today’s play, as the championship flight turns to match play – where groups of two teams go to the course together and the one that wins the most holes advances.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re medalist or eighth or 16th,” Hoover said, “you’ve got just as much of a chance to win the tournament as anybody.”
This weekend’s medalist of opening day discovered that at last year’s Potentate.
During their first tournament teaming together, Michaels and Lazevnick went into match play as the 16th and last seed of the championship round opener, and upset the top seed. Now they go into the second day as the favorite.
“That’s cool,” Michaels said. “I’d rather be where I’m at. It’ll be interesting.”
A smooth start made it that way for Michaels and Hoover.
“It’s nice to do well and get some confidence for (today),” Hoover said. “But last year, were the 16th seed and beat the 1 seed.
“Anybody can beat anybody in match play.”