Late Father Really Was With Golf Pro Ashes Spread Over Course

Kene Bensel made a visit Friday to the gorgeous green expanses where he scattered the ashes of his father last fall.

He paid his respects by shooting a 6-under-par 65.

It wasn’t the lowest round turned in during the first day of the 10th-annual Rosauers Open Invitational golf tournament. That honor was shared by the 64s posted by Rob Gibbons, Sean Arey and Spokane’s David Christenson.

But it was certainly the most fascinating, considering it was played out over the rambling, tree-line fairways of Indian Canyon Golf Course, where Bensel and his brother, Phil, scattered the ashes of their father, Herb, last November.

Kene Bensel, who turns 50 today, is the head professional at Lake Padden Golf Course in Bellingham. But he was born and raised in Spokane, and graduated from North Central High School.

Herb Bensel worked at Kaiser-Mead for 27 years and was a regular at the Canyon. He died last summer in Bellingham from heart disease at the age of 74. His two sons decided on the Canyon as his final resting place.

“I don’t think we were supposed to do it,” Kene said, “but he loved this golf course. We sneaked out last November at about midnight and sprinkled his ashes in all the spots on the course where I usually have trouble.

“And I talked to him a few times out there today.”

Apparently Herb Bensel listened, because his son escaped what few problems he did encounter in forging a spot among the leaders of this $125,000 tournament that pays $12,000 to the winner.

Bensel’s early morning round included eight birdies - three straight on the back nine - and only two bogeys.

“I really like putting these greens in the morning,” said Bensel, who hit 16 greens in regulation. “I know the course pretty well. I’ve probably played it 5,000 times.”

That same kind of local knowledge also played a big role in Christenson’s late-afternoon charge to the top of the leaderboard.

The Shadle Park and Washington State University graduate has been an assistant pro at Indian Canyon for the past four years and used the familiar surroundings to help cure his recent on-course struggles.

“My game sucks,” he said. “At least it has lately, but it seems like I always play well here.”

Christenson scorched the front nine with a 5-under-par 30 before posting a 2-under 34 on the back. He described his round as consistent.

“I just made a lot of birdies,” he said.

Gibbons, who won the tournament in 1991 when it was moved temporarily to MeadowWood Golf Course, matched Christenson and Arey, from Trysting Tree Golf Course in Corvallis, Ore., with a round he called easy.

He made birdie putts of less than 5 feet on six holes and was poised to post a spectacular number before making bogey on the relatively easy par-5 18th.

“This course can be difficult,” said Gibbons, the head pro at Arrowhead Golf Course in Molalla, Ore., “but today I hit every fairway and every green, except the last one.

“My yardage was just right, the pins were located just right, it was one of those days when everything was clicking. Every once in a while, if you play long enough, you have a day like this.”

Arey’s round included nine birdies and a double-bogey on the short par-4 third.

Bensel’s 65 was equalled by Jeff Coston, who finished third in 1995 and second last year.

“I was kind of slow starting, but got it going in the middle of the round and made some birdies,” said the teaching pro from Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club in Blaine. “I’m still hoping I can climb the rest of the ladder.”

Todd Erwin, from Tukwila, was alone in sixth place after shooting a 66, and three others were a stroke back at 67.

Host professional Gary Lindeblad overcame an erratic driver to shoot a scrambling 68 and was bunched with four others, including Wenatchee amateur Cory Hutsell.

“It could have been a lot worse,” Lindeblad said of his scrambling round. “I’m tickled pink to be where I’m at.”

The 54-hole tournament continues today with the top 65 scores, plus ties, qualifying for Sunday’s final round.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: LEADERBOARD Top scores after the first round of the Rosauers Open Invitational at Indian Canyon (par-71): David Christenson 64 Rob Gibbons 64 Sean Arey 64 Jeff Coston 65 Kene Bensel 65 Todd Erwin 66 Scott Williams 67 John McCormish 67 Bill Porter 67 Mike Kasch Jr. 68 Gary Lindeblad 68 Jeff Tachell 68 Cory Hutsell 68 Doug Doxsie 68