Cauldwell irons out issues

— Brandon Cauldwell said he hadn’t been making many putts recently, but a few well placed iron shots helped change that trend.

Cauldwell shot 5-under-par 67 Friday to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Maumelle Classic at Maumelle Country Club. Cauldwell, a 22-year-old from Ozark, Mo., was 3 under through five holes and reached 6 under on the back nine before carding a bogey on the par-3 17th.

“I had really good distance control today,” Cauldwell said. “I was flag-high a lot today, so I was putting myself in good spots.”

Cauldwell played in the Maumelle Classic last year and said returning this year was well worth the three-hour drive from his home.

“I’m learning where you can miss it and where you can leave the ball,” he said.

Matt Mabrey, Drew Evans and Luke Bakke each shot 68 and were tied for second.

Mabrey, a 20-year-old from Little Rock, started with birdies on the par-4 first and the par-5 second and finished with no bogeys.

“I played pretty solid,” Mabrey said. “I didn’t have any holes where I really messed up.”

He said keeping himself out of trouble will be a key to staying in contention this weekend.

“I’m not hitting the ball like I’d like to,” he said. “I’m just trying to keep myself in the fairway.”

Evans has the benefit of knowing how to manage the course. This is the third Maumelle Classic for Evans, who was medalist at the U.S. Amateur qualifier Maumelle Country Club hosted last year.

“I feel so comfortable out here,” he said. “I mean, everyone out here has been so nice to me. This is why I keep coming back.”

Evans, a 22-year-old from Dallas, made birdie on No. 1 followed by a 35-foot birdie putt on the par-3 fifth.

“It just kind of helped and put me in motion,” he said.

Evans made double bogey on the par-3 eighth but birdied the par-4 ninth to make the turn at 2 under, which he matched on the back nine.

Bakke, a native Arkansan who lives in Seattle, won the Maumelle Classic in 2006. He shot 34 on each nine.

Jeremy Self and Hunter Smith, both from Cabot, each shot 69 and were tied for fifth.

Defending champion Nicklaus Benton of Cabot is not in the field.

Bobby Baker of Little Rock shot 68 to lead the senior division by three strokes over Bev Hargraves and Chuck Kaiser. Rodger Bates of Hot Springs and Rick Coatney of Fort Smith each shot 71 to share the lead of the midsenior division. Charly Jones of Sherwood shot 72 to lead the super senior division by one shot over Glenn Talbot of Sheridan.

Sports, Pages 25 on 07/28/2012

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