Dogwood Invitational: Hunter Logan cools off but still carries lead into final round

June 9, 2023 | by Kevin Price of AmateurGolf.com

- Back of the Range photo

Another benefit of shooting 61: it gave the MSU golfer the cushion to come back to earth in round three and still be on top

Hunter Logan will remain the leader going into the final round Saturday at the Dogwood Invitational at Druid Hills Golf Club.

The Mississippi State golfer kept his position atop the leaderboard at the tournament on the hilly course in the Atlanta suburbs as he shot a 1-under 71 in the third round Friday afternoon to maintain the same three-stroke advantage he had going into the day.

“It’s just still playing the golf course,” he said when asked to look toward the closing 18. “The golf course is going to be the same. I’ll set my own number in my mind, and if I shoot that and don’t win, then it just wasn’t my day. But, all I want is to give myself an opportunity coming down the stretch.”

Logan bolted into contention for the prestigious championship in this long-running tournament which now kicks off the summer circuit in amateur golf in Thursday’s second round when he carded an 11-under 61 on the par-72 course. He made 11 birdies in his bogey-free round and grabbed a three-shot lead at the halfway mark of the four-round event.

His score was his personal best by two shots and the second-lowest on record in the Dogwood tournament. The lowest score was the incredible 15-under 57 by Alex Ross in the 2019 tournament.

A senior this past season for the Bulldogs, Logan opened his tournament with a 3-under 69 on Wednesday.

A swirling wind challenged the 103-player field in round two, but Logan went low by rolling in lengthy putts as he made six that were 20 feet or more.

On Friday, a firm course with pins placed in tight spots on the edges of greens kept the scores higher throughout the field at the Dogwood where red figures are usually aplenty, especially among those playing at the front of the pack.

“It was the toughest day so far, I think,” Logan said. “The pins were really tucked, and it was windy for our group as well for the first 14 or 15 holes, so I had to manage my expectations, have a good mindset and give the best I have on every shot.”

Logan made six straight pars at the start before rolling in his first birdie at the par-5 seventh. He gave up two shots with back-to-back bogeys at the par-3 eighth and par-5 ninth when his wayward second shot went out of bounds. With those mishaps, his lead did dwindle to a single stroke.

He bounced back quickly, though, with a birdie at the 10th and back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th holes. He did make a bogey on the uphill par-4 15th hole after finding a fairway bunker off the tee, but he made par from 15 feet on the next hole after facing a difficult up-and-down from a greenside bunker. He finished with pars on the final two holes.

“I’ve hit the ball good all week. I’ve hit the fairway a lot and have had good lines into the green, not trying to be too aggressive. I’ve trusted my putter. It’s obviously been working, for sure the second day.”

Neal Shipley (Back of the Range photo)

Logan’s playing partner Saturday in the final pairing will be Ohio State golfer Neal Shipley. Playing three groups from the end in the third round, Shipley posted a 4-under 68 to reach 12-under for the tournament. He was even-par on the front nine before making four birdies on the back side including three in a row on holes 14 through 16.

Shipley, a graduate transfer with the Buckeyes this past season, won the 2022 Pennsylvania State Amateur. He shot 67 in the first round this week and 69 in round two to begin Friday’s play at 8-under.

Saturday’s next-to-last duo will be Georgia Southern standout Parker Claxton and Georgia’s Maxwell Ford. Both players are tied at 11-under along with Connor Creasy who also plays at Georgia.

L-R: Maxwell Ford, Connor Creasy, Parker Claxton (Back of the Range photos)

Claxton, a sophomore-to-be for the Eagles, played in the final grouping Friday while shooting even-par 72. Ford shot 1-under 71 on Friday. His round included an eagle at the par-5 7th hole.

“I hit a really good drive and had a number where I could hit it pretty much at the pin and hit it pin high about 6 feet to the right,” he said. “It was one of my two under-par holes, I guess.”

Ford finished with a birdie at the par-5 last. He also had two bogeys on his card.

“There were some pins that were hard, and then when you add in the fact it was firm, it was difficult. It was definitely the toughest I’ve seen this course. The wind died down a little at the end, but it was still pretty windy for the majority of the round,” Ford noted.

Creasy had four birdies on the day including three on his first nine holes. His lone hiccup was a bogey at the par-4 14th. He ended up signing for a 69 after posting 68 in the first two rounds.

“I played a good round, a good day of ball-striking,” he said. “Hopefully, I can get a couple of putts to fall tomorrow and just continue to go through my process from tee to green and be a little more reactive on the greens and use the feel of my feet.”

Creasy will be three groups from the end in the final round. He will play alongside Ben Carr who recently wrapped up his final collegiate season at Georgia Southern. Carr, of course, is set to play in next week’s U.S. Open after finishing as the runner-up last summer at the U.S. Amateur.

On Friday, he shot a 69 to reach 10-under. Carr shot 65 in round two after opening with an even-par round.

The field was cut to the low 40 players plus ties after Friday’s round which completed 54 holes. The cutline fell at 2-under and a total of 48 players will play in the final round on Saturday.

Last year’s champion, Carson Bacha, made it inside the cutline by two shots. The Auburn golfer is at 4-under after three rounds and is tied for 24th.

Related: War (Double) Eagle: Carson Bacha wins Dogwood Invitational

A NEW PARTNERSHIP

In addition to competing for the coveted trophy and world rankings points this week Dogwood Invitational players have something else on the line. In March, the tournament announced a partnership with the PGA Tour Australasia.

The 2023 Dogwood Invitational Champion will receive 2 PGA Tour of Australia Invites, complimentary airfare for two (2) and a stipend to compete in Australia. Additionally, the leading five (5) players up to the 10th position of the 2023 Dogwood Invitational will be exempt through to the 2024 PGA Tour Australia Q School Final Stage.

NOTEBOOK

Rocking It: Druid Hills Golf Club members, tournament participants and others were treated to a special concert on Friday night after play on the driving range.

The featured performer was Ed Roland, lead singer for Collective Soul.

Roland has seven No. 1 hits under his belt. His group, Collective Soul, rose to international fame in the early 1990s with the rock anthem “Shine.” Their top hits also include “December,” “The World I Know,” and “Run.”

Roland is in the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. He is also an avid golfer. He played golf for the first time some 20 years ago when Collective Soul was touring with Van Halen. Eddie Van Halen popped his head into the group’s tour bus one day and announced they would be playing golf the next day.

Roland has played ever since and currently holds a 15-handicap after reaching a low of 9.

The Friday concert benefited the Druid Hills Foundation and was sponsored by Coca-Cola.

First Tee Ball: The Dogwood starts each year just like the Masters tournament does each April at Augusta National. The club has someone hit a ceremonial tee shot to get the tournament under way. This year, that first tee shot was hit by 1997 Dogwood champion Steve Scott who also was a two-time member of the U.S. Walker Cup team.

Scott also served as the keynote speaker at the player’s dinner for this year’s tournament.

Pack of Dawgs: Three University of Georgia players were paired together in the next-to-last threesome Friday as the UGA trio began the day in contention for the championship.

Maxwell Ford, Connor Creasy and fellow Bulldog Buck Brumlow made up the grouping. Having three teammates grouped together in a summer amateur tournament is not something you’ll see regularly. The teammates shook hands like all competitors usually do at the first tee, but obviously there was really no need for introductions.

It was a fun day for the players.

“Let’s kick some butt,” Brumlow said as he shook Creasy’s hand on the first tee.

“Usually I’m watching them from another hole, either in front of them or behind them,” Ford said. “It was cool. It was different.”

“It was a lot of fun,” Creasey added. “It was fun, just like another day playing in Athens.”

Results: Dogwood Invitational

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Hunter Logan	Steens, MS	1000	69-61-71-67=268
T2	Maxwell Ford	Peachtree Corners, GA	700	68-66-71-68=273
T2	Neal Shipley	Pittsburgh, PA	700	67-69-68-69=273
T4	Alex Goff	Kings Mountain, NC	500	66-70-73-66=275
T4	Jackson Chandler	Dublin, OH	500	73-66-67-69=275

View full results for Dogwood Invitational

About the Dogwood Invitational

Dogwood Invitational: Hunter Logan cools off but still carries lead into final round

**Compete June 4–7 at Atlanta's Druid Hills GC. Entry includes daily meals, elite play, and exclusive events at one of amateur golf’s top tournaments.** **Dogwood Invitational Overview** Welcome to the Dogwood Invitational, one of the premier showcas...