Club champions from across Indiana competed in the opening round of the Indiana Golf Association Tournament of Champions at Fox Prairie Golf Course in Noblesville.

After shooting a 4-under-par 67 in the first round, Dan Hood of Elkhart leads the field heading into Saturday. Hood earned a spot in the tournament after winning the 2007 Christiana Creek Country Club Championship.

Any male amateur who has won an IGA-PGA member club’s championship in the past five years or who holds a Tournament of Champions title is eligible to play in this 36-hole, stroke-play tournament. This is the 34th year for the championship, and Fox Prairie G.C. has hosted the event since its inception.

Hood’s sub-par round was an impressive beginning to his golf season. “It was only the second round I have played this year, so I had no expectations coming into this round. The lack of expectations took the pressure off on the front,” said Hood. After starting on hole 10 and making a par, he made two consecutive birdies on holes 11 and 12. A third birdie came on the 313-yard, par-4 15th hole, and a birdie on the 408-yard, par-4 18th hole lead to a 4-under 31 on the back nine.

“I started out on the back nine playing well, but then after hole 4, my 13th hole, I got a little out of my comfort zone,” stated Hood. The nerves came because this was his best competitive round in over 10 years. He made bogey on the par-3 fifth hole but managed to shake the nerves and regain his composure to finish with four pars and shoot an even-par 36 on the front nine.

Andrew Varner of Marion is in second place with a round of 68. Andy Skillman of Muncie, Ross Cosat of Carthage, 2006 past champion Dave Vlasic of Valparaiso, and defending champion Chris Clemens of Indianapolis all shot 70 to finish the first day tied for third.

The second round at Fox Prairie G.C. begins at 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning.

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