Managing to make rounds count

KENT — His last name is Haack, and with his full-time job as bar manager at Meridian Valley Country Club he is lucky if he plays a round a week.

But Michael Haack is anything but a hack on the golf course and he is tied for seventh place, three shots behind leader Birk Nelson entering today's final round of the Washington Open Invitational at Meridian Valley.

Nelson, playing out of Diamond Woods Golf Course in Monroe, Ore., had a 4-under 68 Tuesday for a two-round total of 138.

Former Washington Husky Derek Berg, the first-round leader with a 67, shot an even-par 72 Tuesday and is one shot off the lead. He is tied with Louie Runge, whose 67 Tuesday was the best round of the day.

Haack was happy with his round of 71.

"I certainly have played here a lot more than most of the guys in the field," Haack said. "But I usually play it in the winter [when his job is less busy] and the conditions aren't the same as they are now."

Becoming a bar manager wasn't the first career choice for Haack, who won a state championship while at Bellevue's Newport High School in 1997. Four days after that title, he batted cleanup and played third base as Newport won the state baseball title.

Haack then played golf at Nevada and spent four years on the Hooters Tour, one of pro golf's minor leagues.

Haack, who turns 30 later this week, said he likes working as bar manager at the club, because it keeps him close to the game, "and it's something different."

Playing less certainly hasn't seemed to hurt his game. Last week, he tied for first place in local qualifying for the U.S. Open at the Home Course in DuPont with a 69. Among the more than 100 players he beat was defending Washington Open champion Brian Nosler and former UW All-American Brock Mackenzie.

"That really gave me some confidence," said Haack, who will play in U.S. Open Sectional qualifying June 8 at Tumble Creek in Roslyn. "I am sure I will have some butterflies [today]. If you're not a little nervous, then you just don't care."

Berg seemed primed to take a big lead after going to 8 under overall after his eighth hole of the day. But he missed a short birdie putt on the 18th (he started the round on the back nine), then was 3 over on his final nine, including a bogey 6 on the final hole when he hit a shot into the water hazard.

"I really didn't hit it that bad on the second nine," he said. "Really, it was just a matter of yards on each of the shots that cost me."

Berg, who played at Washington from 2000 to 2003 and is from Duvall, finished second in the event last year.

"Winning this would mean a lot," said Berg, attempting to become the fifth amateur to win the event. "You're playing against the best players in the [Northwest] Section."

Tee times begin at 7:11 a.m. today with the leaders scheduled to tee off at 11:30.