Pair tied atop Evansville Men's City golf leaderboard after first weekend

EVANSVILLE — This is in some ways a familiar setting for Nathan Hoss and Ben Hoagland.

Flash back to 2021. Both stepped to the first tee at Evansville Country Club as members of a five-man playoff. Both advanced to the next hole. Both finished one shot from winning a City championship.

Here we stand two summers later. Hoss and Hoagland, the co-leaders with 36 holes left.

The Evansville Romain Cadillac Men’s City Tournament is halfway complete with Hoss and Hoagland two strokes clear of the field at 11-under par. There is a lot of golf left, particularly with tougher tracks awaiting. But if you asked them last week, they’d gladly be in this position.

“No question,” said Hoagland. “I take pride in Evansville. It would mean the world to me to win this tournament.”

Here’s a look at how both put themselves in a strong position after the first weekend and who could catch them.

The best round belonged to Hoss

The North High School graduate didn’t think his first round was bad. He was scrambling too much and his putter saved him multiple shots at Helfrich. If he could hit more than three greens over nine holes, a good score was there.

Hoss found it at Fendrich with an 8-under 62, the lowest round thus far in the field. Eight birdies and zero bogeys. His wedges were so dialed in, Hoss didn’t make many, if any, putts outside of 10 feet.

“I figured with the same game plan I can compete,” he said. “If you hit a bunch of good shots, you have wedges out here. If you’re confident and hit your numbers, the rest will fall in place.”

Starting three shots back, Hoss quickly jumped the leaderboard with five birdies over the final seven holes on the back side on Sunday. He now heads to a familiar setting (Rolling Hills) while Evansville Country Club feels new to everyone following a redesign.

The first weekend was a strong start.

“The competition is the only reason I play,” said Hoss. “If you look at the track record, anybody who is pretty good from Evansville has won this event.”

Hoagland continues to play consistent

It may not seem like much, but the tournament schedule was a benefit to Hoagland.

The first round at Helfrich allowed him to settle in and not worry about going low. An early tee time on Sunday erased any opportunity to overthink. The result is an opening weekend he gladly accepts.

The Memorial High School graduate posted a second-round 64 to match Hoss at the top. Hoagland rolled in eight birdies to mask a pair of mistakes. Including the qualifier in July, he has shot three scores of 65 or better in this tournament.

“I was glad to get the tournament started at Helfrich and settle in,” said Hoagland. “(At Fendrich), it kind of feels like the Korn Ferry Tour. If you don’t shoot a good score, you’re going to get lapped. I didn’t have any time to think and just played golf.”

Although he lost in the playoff two years ago, this position is a complete 180 from where he stood that year. Hoagland needed a stellar final weekend and help just to contend for the title. He’ll be in the final group at Rolling Hills this time.

The Michigan redshirt junior previously said this summer has been “the best golf of my life.”

“What I remember from two years ago is I am 11 shots better than the last time,” said Hoagland. “If I play next weekend like I did two years ago, I’ll be in a good spot.”

Who else is in contention?

For as well as the leaders played this weekend, this tournament is far from decided.

North Posey graduate Caleb Wassmer is two shots back at 9-under following a second-round 67 at Fendrich. Sunday was not as clean as the error-free trek he completed the first day. Following a birdie at the 10th, Wassmer recorded a triple bogey at the par-4 13th following a wayward drive, another shot against a tree and a flubbed punch shot.

How he responded keeps him in the final pairings next weekend. Wassmer, a fifth-year senior at the University of Evansville, birdied 14 and 17 to mask a bogey at 18 before conquering the front nine in 4-under 31.

"I was still happy with how I played," said Wassmer. "I didn’t hit it well as yesterday but, especially after that triple, responded pretty good. Dad (his caddy) and I said to just reset and treat the front nine like it’s own battle."

Spencer Wagner is also two shots back at 9-under. The Mater Dei graduate posted back-to-back 66s this weekend to settle into a tie for second. With a pair of runner-up finishes on his resume, Wagner once again puts himself in position to win a City title.

Wagner birdied five of his final 10 holes on Sunday. He also eagled the par-five 14th.

"I just played golf and didn't get in too much trouble," said Wagner. "I'm playing good. Give me a week to get my short game a little better. The way I think about it is it's just golf. Play how I can and hit one shot at a time."

There's a strong field lurking just behind the leaders. Three-time and defending champion David Mills is 8-under after shooting 67 at Fendrich. Former runner-up Matt Mornoe is sixth at 6-under followed by Trevor Grant (67) at 5-under, plus Nathaniel Caudle (67) and Cameron Weyer (68) at 4-under.

Former champions Chip Tiemann and Logan Osborne round out the top 10 at 3-under. Zach Thomas (-2) also shot a 64 in the second round. 1997 City champion Keith Bratton recorded an albatross at the 14th hole with a 5-hybrid from 191 yards.

The cut for the second weekend was 6-over with the low 40 and ties advancing.

Follow Courier & Press sports reporter Kyle Sokeland on Twitter @kylesokeland.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Pair tied atop Evansville Men's City golf leaderboard after two rounds