LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – If there’s been a breakout star of this year’s ISCO Championship so far, it might be the golf course itself.
Through two rounds, the Keith Foster-designed, 7,056-yard Hurstbourne Country Club has stood up to the test of its first PGA Tour event — though the pros usually dial in after the cut has been made and they’ve had 36 holes to study.
Hurstbourne has played 1.21 shots over par through two rounds and was tougher Friday than Thursday.
“That's not the same golf course,” said Stephen Stallings Jr., who grew up playing Hurstbourne before graduating from St. X and going on to the University of Kentucky. “I mean, that golf course played hard. You don't see over-par cuts on the PGA Tour, especially for a 7,000-yard golf course. That golf course held its own. And to be honest with you, a lot of people were questioning if it was a PGA Tour-caliber golf course. I can tell you right now — it’s beyond.”
A year ago, just down Shelbyville Road at Valhalla, the course played 0.442 shots under par for four rounds. Though it must be said — Hurstbourne doesn’t have the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele or Justin Thomas roaming its fairways.
Still, it’s providing plenty of challenge. The most-used phrase so far this week has been “game plan.”
“You kind of have to think your way around the course,” Thomas Rosenmueller said after shooting a 6-under 64 on Friday, the day’s best effort. “It's a ball-striker's paradise. If you've got the ball on a string and you can control the distance on these firm, fast greens, you have a big advantage.”
If you don’t, it’s another story.
As predicted, the toughest hole on the course has been the par-4 No. 1, which has played 0.492 strokes over par. It has produced 105 bogeys and 38 double-bogeys or worse — which is no way to start any round.
Hole No. 6, a demanding par 3 with a hard-to-hold green, has surrendered just 11 birdies all week, only five on Friday.
The easiest hole so far has been No. 10, a par 5 that’s produced a tournament-high 148 birdies and played 0.447 strokes under par.
“I was joking with the guys I was playing with today — and this is not a knock on the courses we play or anything — it's just, in the summer on the PGA TOUR, you never get to hit a full wedge because we play on greens that are just soft this time of year,” said Peter Malnati on Thursday. “So to come here and see these bentgrass greens be rock hard is really interesting, because it's something we haven’t done much of lately.”
Drew Doyle, who grew up at Hurstbourne, called it, “Probably the hardest I've ever played this place. We had a Kentucky Open here a while ago, and it was similar in firmness, but we played it like a par 71. It's a par 70, obviously, and it’s a lot more firm and kind of baked out, so the ball's going forever. It's hard to stop it around the greens. You get short-sided, you're going to make bogeys.”
Small greens, dry turf and smart routing have brought out a plotting, strategic style that rewards patience and precision.
“It's the kind of golf that I enjoy,” Rosenmueller said. “You cannot just blindly go at everything.”
At the halfway mark, Hurstbourne has shown it’s more than just a scenic new stop. It’s a worthy test. Will the weather hold? Will rain soften things up for the final two days?
Either way, the new stop on the PGA block has intrigued its visitors this week.
“I love Keene Trace (the tournament’s former home), but I really, really enjoy this course,” said Vince Whaley, a Lexington native who has been 3-under in each of the first two rounds to sit five shots behind Chan Kim. “It's so firm and fast. We play a lot of different courses, but conditions seem to be very similar week in and week out. It’s just nice that this is so firm and fast — and it's just fun to play something different.”
If nothing else, the change of pace — and change of scenery — at Hurstbourne seems welcome. That was the case for Callum Shinkwin of Watford, Hertfordshire, England.
“Oh, it's fantastic. The area is lovely — it's a proper traditional country club,” he said. “When you come to country clubs at home, it's not like this. This is very nice, yeah.”
MORE ON THE ISCO CHAMPIONSHIP:
NBC's Kevin Kisner talks a good game, and is playing one at Hurstbourne
Round 2 roundup | Chan Kim stretches lead, but Louisville locals steal support
Meet the Mystery Man who torched Hursrboure for a course-record 61
ISCO Championship | How to watch, tickets, parking info and more
The PGA came to Hurstbourne, but history got there first
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