Robert Dargan rebounds for early lead at City Golf Championship

With the fruits of an outstanding front nine in danger of going to waste, Robert Dargan responded in the best possible way in Thursday’s opening round of the Midlands Chevy Dealers Columbia City Golf Championship.

Dargan, the reigning State Mid-Amateur champion, played his final six holes in 4-under par and seized the tournament lead with a 7-under 65 at the Country Club of Lexington.

“I bogeyed (Nos.) 10 and 12 to drop to 3 under for the round,” said Dargan, who racked up five birdies – including one on a 40-foot putt – on the front nine and made the turn in 31.

What he called “a really good birdie” on the par-4 13th stopped the bleeding and he holed out from 106 yards for eagle on the par-5 15th. Another birdie on the par-5 finishing hole capped his flying finale.

“I made some nice putts to save par, but my score could have been better,” he said. “The course is in super shape and scoring opportunities were there. Plus, I played in the morning before the heat got so oppressive.”

Ben Karns trails by one stroke after an opening 66. John Obrien and Cole Thornton share third at 2-under 70 with Jeff Burkett, Robert Motley and former champion Brent Roof another stroke back.

Rich Houghton shot 70 to lead Robin Alley by one stroke in the senior division, and Bob Stringer’s 71 leads Buck Leigh by two among the super-seniors. In the pro division, Tony Branham (Cobblestone Park) and Burke Cromer (The Spur at Northwoods) share the lead at 72 with Clem King (Lexington) at 73 and Rohan Allwood (Woodlands) at 74.

The champion will be crowned in the pro division after today’s 18 holes. The amateurs play 54 holes with titles decided Saturday.

Dargan came into the city championship ranked eighth in the latest state player of the year rankings. He and his brother, David, won the recent State Lefty-Righty title and he finished second in the State Left-Handers competition. The brothers also reached the semifinals of the Carolinas Four-Ball, and Robert shared 12th place in the Carolinas Mid-Amateur.

“David carried us in the Lefty-Righty,” Robert Dargan said. “I didn’t play nearly as well as I wanted to there.”

He made up for that Thursday.

This story was originally published July 16, 2015 at 10:17 PM with the headline "Robert Dargan rebounds for early lead at City Golf Championship."