Published: July 13, 2009 11:45 pm      

Playing for second

Brand’s runaway had several golfers eyeing runner-up position at BNI Memorial

What do you do when a golf tournament is already decided before the final round?

You play for second.

That was the tact taken by many of the golfers Monday in the 29th annual BNI Memorial Golf Tournament at The Resort at Glade Springs’ Cobb Course.

Christian Brand, with rounds of 68 and 65, respectively, at Pipestem and Grandview Country Club, was all but in the driver’s seat.

“I was (playing for second),” said Mullens native Kelly Shumate, who finished third and carded a 72 Monday. “When a guy is that hot like (Brand) was, you know it’s going to be tough. You start to wonder where you can finish, how high you can go.”

“Christian was 3-under after seven and you realize about that time that you are (playing for second),” said Beckley golfer Chris Daniels. “You have to keep pushing. You never know when somebody might fall apart, although I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. He held it together all day.”

Daniels was sixth after a 77 Monday.

Brandon Reece finished second. He had to leave right after his round and was not available for comment. He carded a 70 Monday.

Mike Veres, who was second entering the day, six shots back, said he initially came into the day thinking he could come back.

“But the way I started (double-bogeys on No. 1 and No. 3) it became evident pretty quickly that I was playing for second,” Veres said. “You never want to concede but Christian played really, really well.”

Other golfers knew that the battle was for second.

“He had two good rounds and it was obvious he was probably going to win it,” said six-time champion Mike Mays, who finished fifth. “You just want to do what you can to keep your game together and try to score as low as you can. I was hoping for a 68 (he had a 1-over 73), something like that. But I did have a couple of good shots today that I’m going to remember for quite some time.”

“I didn’t think I could score low enough to (come back), which is probably the wrong attitude and it hurt me,” said Oak Hill teacher Joel Davis, who finished with an 84. “I just came apart on the backside and I could never really get it back together. It was frustrating. But it happens.”

Still, Mays and Davis pulled a rare double, when they both eagled No. 18 to finish their rounds on a high note.

Shumate said he will next play in the Father-Son Tournament next weekend.

“My dad (John) has been battling cancer for two years,” Shumate said. “I asked him if he thought he could play and he said he thought he could. I’m looking forward to that.”

— E-mail: demorrison@

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