Benzel beats storm

Ryan Benzel’s last putt made a dramatic, well-timed drop into the cup on No. 18.

Seconds later the air horn blew, signaling players still on the course Saturday at the 18th annual Rosauers Open Invitational to head for the Indian Canyon clubhouse due to thunderstorms in the area.

But Benzel’s day was done, and he’d made the most of a round that he tidied up with three late birdies, carding a 66 to stay atop the leader board entering today’s final round. Benzel’s two-day total of 12-under 130 is one shot in front of Chris Griffin (65), Bob Rannow (66) and Clarkston High senior Joel Dahmen (64).

“I was just kind of grinding it out,” said the 26-year-old Benzel, a former Idaho Vandal who has finished 12th and seventh in two Rosauers appearances. “The last few years I haven’t necessarily made birdies on 15 and 17, so it was nice to do that.”

Jeff Coston, from Blaine, Wash., fired a 64 to join the chase for the $11,000 winner’s check. Coston, two shots back at 132, won the 1997 event and has finished in the top seven in seven of the last eight Rosauers. Doug Kauffman, from the Members Club at Aldarra in Fall City, Wash., and Brian Coury, of Tam O’Shanter in Bellevue, are at 133. Kauffman shot 66, Coury 65.

Five players are at 134, including Ferris High grad Craig Leslie (69), former Washington Husky Corey Prugh (68), 2001 Rosauers champion Casey McCoy (67), Kalispel pro Ryan Malby (68) and 2000 champ Todd Erwin (68).

The Creek at Qualchan’s Mark Gardner (67) is at 135, as is Mukilteo’s Reid Martin after shooting 67, including 30 on the front nine, two days after his 14th birthday. Host pro Gary Lindeblad (69), Manito pro Steve Prugh (69) and son, Alex, who shot 70, are at 136. Two-time champion Michael Combs fell 10 shots off the pace after a 75.

Benzel, an assistant pro at the Seattle Golf Club, hasn’t made a bogey in two days and he’s hit 33 of 36 greens in regulation. He had eight straight pars Saturday before draining a treacherous downhill 4-footer on No. 9 for birdie.

There was more to come. Using a 9-iron on the 121-yard 11th, Benzel’s ball spun back and nearly hit the pin. He holed the ensuing 4-footer and he made two more tricky short putts – for par on 14 and for birdie on 17 – to move to 4-under. He capped his round with a 5-foot birdie putt on 18 that made a half-circle before falling in.

It also meant he didn’t have wait out an 80-minute weather delay.

“I’ve been on the other side of rain delays enough times,” said Benzel, who will be joined by Rannow and Griffin in the final threesome at 11:30 today. “It’s nice to be on the good side of one finally.”

Dahmen, who recently committed to play for the University of Washington, shot an eventful 64. He canned a 35-yard flop shot from the deep rough on No. 6 for eagle and turned in 31.

He birdied 11, 12 and – after the weather stoppage – dropped an 8-footer for bird on 15. A poor chip led to bogey on No. 17, but he responded with birdie on the par-5 18th, making a 10-foot comebacker after missing a slippery 4-foot eagle attempt.

“I signed up for this and my dad was like, ‘Why are you going to play in that? You can’t win any money (as an amateur),’ ” Dahmen said. “I just wanted to see how good I am compared to these guys, so it’s nice to see where I’m at.”

Griffin, assistant pro at Tacoma Country and Golf Club, had a bogey-free 65. He birdied only one of the three par-5s, but played the par-4s in 4-under and he posted a deuce on the par-3 11th.

“I’m just driving it really well, which is a big key here,” Griffin said. “You look at the leader board and it’s guys that can keep it in play.”

Rannow, who shot 29 on the front nine Friday, was steady with a seven-birdie, two-bogey effort. He’s 6 for 6 on birdies on par-5s over the first two days.

“The key swing was when I made about a 25-foot putt on 11 for birdie and then made an 8-footer on the next hole,” said Rannow, pro at Sandpines Golf Links in Florence, Ore. “I had been making most of my birdies chipping or on short putts. It was nice to remember I can make putts.”

Coston, who started on No. 10, toured that side in 5-under 31. Coston ranks first on the PGA Pacific Northwest Section player of the year points list, followed by Benzel and Rannow.

“I’ve putted well both days,” Coston said. “I hit it close and, like any sport, golf is momentum. I had some momentum going and I think I built some from yesterday when I shot 31 on my back nine.”

The field was pared to the top 70 pros and 14 amateurs, who shot 143 or better, for today’s final round.