2019 champ Scott Erdmann, former WSU Cougar Blake Snyder share Rosauers lead

Scott Erdmann has been playing in the Rosauers Open Invitational for two decades, so he understands how to navigate around venerable Indian Canyon Golf Course.

He’s put the knowledge acquired from roughly 75 tournament rounds at Indian Canyon on display through 36 holes with smart, solid golf that has him positioned to collect another trophy to accompany his 2019 Rosauers championship.

Erdmann followed up Friday’s 7-under-par 64 with a business-like 67 to share the top spot with former Washington State Cougar Blake Snyder (63-68) entering Sunday’s final round. The two have plenty of pursuers on a packed leaderboard with Tyler Carlson and Daniel Campbell just one shot back and three-time champ Jeff Coston two strokes behind.

Former Mt. Spokane High standout Gunnar Knutson, who plays at Weber State, had Saturday’s low round with a 64 and joins Ben Nelson and Fairways assistant pro Todd Pence at 8-under 134, three behind the co-leaders. Eight players are at 135, including 2017 champion Brady Sharp.

“Probably just the way it should have been,” Erdmann said of his final score. “I didn’t really seem to steal any, but I just did a good job keeping the ball in play and I gave myself lots of opportunities. I kind of made the ones I should make and didn’t make too many that I probably shouldn’t. Just a solid round of golf.”

That makes two of those. He birdied all three par-5s for the second straight round, narrowly missing an eagle on No. 18 when his chip hit the flagstick and settled about 1 foot from the cup. He made his first and only bogey of the tournament on No. 5 – his 32nd hole.

“I’ve played in this tournament forever,” said Erdmann, director of instruction at Oswego Lake Country Club in Lake Oswego, Oregon. “I definitely know the holes you’re going to have to be careful on and know par is a great score. If you just take advantage of birdie holes, the par 5s, maybe get a couple here and there and just try to stay away from trouble, then something in the mid- to low 60s (Sunday) would be great, but we’ll see.”

Erdmann, 45, came from five shots off the pace in the final round to win a three-man playoff for the 2019 Rosauers title. He’ll be in the final group Sunday at 11:30 a.m. with Snyder and Campbell.

“I always do my best not knowing, maybe the last couple holes it’s good to know, but I’m not a scoreboard watcher,” Erdmann said. “Just play my golf, one shot at a time, all that cliché stuff, that works best for me.”

Snyder, who started on the back side, reached 12 under with an eagle on No. 18 and was at 13 under after an eagle on the par-5 second hole. Snyder, a teaching pro at Pacific Northwest Golf Academy in Issaquah, Washington, made bogeys on Nos. 3 and 6 to finish at 11 under.

“Definitely a little frustrating, but there’s really no looking back when you still have a share of the lead,” Snyder said. “I’m excited for the final round.”

Campbell played the first four holes on the back side in 5 under to climb to 11 under overall. The assistant pro at Bellingham Golf and Country Club gave three shots back on Nos. 14 and 15 before rebounding with birdies on 17 and 18.

Carlson, assistant pro at Quail Ridge in Clarkston, moved to 11 under after touring the front nine in 5-under 30. He birdied the par-5 12th after consecutive bogeys on the previous two holes. His birdie putt on No. 18 to join Snyder and Erdmann at 11 under burned the right edge but didn’t drop.