Taking Aim In The Lilac Richland Pro Combs Sets Pace Off A 7-Under 65

The bull’s eye is on Michael Combs’ back and a lot of people have it in their sights.

They have to be concerned, however, the target doesn’t get any smaller.

Combs fired a steady 7-under-par 65 at The Fairways Friday morning to drop to 11 under for a three-stroke lead at the midway point of the 38th annual Downtown Holiday Inn Express Lilac Invitational.

“He’s going to be tough to catch,” six-time champion Chris Mitchell said. “You’ll have to make a lot of birdies. Combs isn’t going to come back.”

There is a crowd behind the Richland pro. First-day leader Michael Charles of Portland had a 71 and is tied with Tony Robydek of Tacoma, who had his second-straight 68 on the 6,398-yard layout. Five golfers are four back and four are five back, including Mitchell, who last won in 1989. Thirty of the 99 pros are under par (144).

Today is the day they take aim.

“You have to try to go low Saturday,” said Mitchell, who had a 67.

Combs, 30, said a 6:46 a.m. tee time was hard, until he started a string of five straight birdies, beginning on the third hole. He made the turn at 31 and had birdies on 11, 12 and 14 before a three-putt bogey on 18 tripped him up.

“I played fine. It’s kind of the same formula here, get the par 5s and I made a few on top of that,” he said. “I kind of plodded along, nothing eventful until 17 and 18, when I hit real poor putts. All the birdies I made were two putts or 6-footers.”

Two years ago, Combs was 19 under, good for a five-stroke lead after three rounds before holding on for a one-stroke win. Last year, he started with a 75 before rallying to finish two strokes behind the winner. The week before that, however, he won the Rosauer’s Open, which is next week at Indian Canyon.

“Combs is probably the most talented guy his age not on the (PGA) Tour,” Mitchell said. “I don’t know why he isn’t on the Tour. If he could get through the qualifying school, he could make a lot of money out there.”

That’s the same goal Combs’ two closest challengers have.

Charles, 23, turned professional in September after playing at the University of Portland.

“I’ve been trying to get in anything I can and I heard this was a good tournament,” he said. “For the most part, I’m playing non-PGA tournaments. I’m hoping to get exempt on the Nike or PGA tours.”

He opened with a 65 and was 2-under in his second round before his first bogey of the tournament at 18.

“It was a little different than yesterday. The approaches weren’t quite as sharp, but more importantly the putts weren’t going in,” he said. “The course is definitely playing a little bit easier. There wasn’t anything devastating, there were no real blemishes except the threeputt on the last hole. That’s the first bogey I made, so that was a little bit of a disappointment.”

Despite back-to-back 68s, Robydek’s rounds were different.

“I played real well today. Yesterday was a struggle. I was real happy to get in with a 68,” the 27-year-old Tacoma native said. “I got off to a good start … got a couple of putts to fall early. Eagling the third hole (driver, 4-iron to 10 feet) didn’t hurt, either. I played three easy holes (12, 13, 14) 3 over. The wind got me. I hit two good shots, but got a little crazy. I hit a good 6-iron (into the par-3 13th), but the wind dumped it into the pond. I wasn’t upset. I knew I hit good shots. I just stepped up to No. 14 and hit driver, sand wedge (to 15-feet) and just lipped out the eagle.”

Defending champion Bob Rannow, who is playing out of Salishan in Oregon, is 3 under after a 70 with a lot of ground to make up.

“It’s been a little bit of a struggle the last two days,” he said. “I was 4-under after 11 yesterday and made a couple of stupid mistakes. Today, I never got anything going with my wedge or putter. I didn’t create enough opportunities. Who knows what’s going to happen. It’s hard to have four great rounds. It’s a long ways from being over.”

John Wallace, an eight-year Lilac veteran in the group at 137 after a 67, said, “(Saturday is) moving day. Same (strategy) as today, go make pars. You’re going to make birdies, but you’ve got to back them up with pars.”

Wallace, 36, played in seven straight Lilacs until he was in a car accident and missed the last two. He finished third in 1994. That year, Gary Lindeblad won the title. Lindeblad, of Spokane, shot a 1-over 73 and is eight back at 141.

Mark Rohde, a two-time champion from Spokane, had a 72 and is six back at 139.

The final group should tee off about 3 p.m. today.

Tim Rypien shot a 1-under 71 and is tied for low amatuer with last year’s winner Darin Danekas, who had a 69, at even par 144.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo