Strong group, minus one

Scott Johnson cruised to the Rosauers Open Invitational title last year by touring Indian Canyon Golf Course in a record-shattering 20-under-par over 54 holes.

“Oh gosh, that was an incredible deal,” host professional Gary Lindeblad said. “He just beat the crap out of everybody.”

It won’t happen again, at least not this week for Johnson. The Richland-based pro is skipping the Rosauers and is playing the Gateway Tour Desert Series, where he’s made one cut in his last four events.

Lindeblad would be “mildly surprised” if anyone else in the well-stocked field threatens Johnson’s tournament record of 193 when the 18th edition of the Rosauers begins a three-day run Friday, preceded by the Bank of America Pro-Am today and Thursday.

“The only thing we’ve done is narrowed some of the fairways with a primary cut of rough,” Lindeblad said. “It’s tough to take a course this old and traditional and do much to it. It’d be like doing a nose job on the Mona Lisa. Last year the rough was very benign. We had mowed it back and it was really benign compared to this year.”

Still, Lindeblad had no problem rattling off a lengthy list of contenders for the $11,000 winner’s check in the nation’s richest PGA sectional event.

In no particular order, Lindeblad mentioned Michael Combs, Jeff Coston, Todd Erwin, Mark Gardner, Rob Gibbons, Lon Hinkle, Pat Fitzsimmons, the Prugh contingent, Bob Rannow, Chris Mitchell and Bob Scott.

Combs is a two-time Rosauers champion who placed second a year ago, four shots behind Johnson. Coston routinely finishes in the top 10, tied for third in 2004 and won the event in 1997.

Erwin took first in 2000. Mitchell has captured two Rosauers titles (1989, 1992) and probably knows the course “better than anyone in the world,” Lindeblad said.

Hinkle and Fitzsimmons had stints on the PGA Tour. Gardner finished one shot back in 2002 and three shots behind in 2001 and 1998.

Rannow and Gibbons each have two top-10 finishes in the last five Rosauers. Scott holds the course record at Indian Canyon with a 62.

“The whole Prugh family (father Steve and sons Alex and Corey) is playing really well,” Lindeblad said.

Alex, a rising junior at the University of Washington, won the Washington State Amateur last month. Corey recently tied for third in the Oregon Open.

Lindeblad’s dark horses include John Shelden, John Kawasoe and amateur Brian DeBiasio.

“It’s probably as strong a field as ever,” Lindeblad said. “The Northwest section is pretty fortunate because we have a pretty high number of good players.”

The Canyon’s 6,255-yard, par-71 layout is in prime condition.

“It’s a combination of two things: Don Nelson is the best superintendent you could ever ask for and the other thing is Mother Nature,” Lindeblad said.

“Despite the fact it hasn’t been conducive to a great financial year, it’s been a perfect year for growing grass. We’re emerald green wall to wall.”