Locals Hoss, Deschler hoping to make State Am waves

URBANA — As 1:45 rolled around Tuesday afternoon, the starter on the Atkins Golf Club’s No. 10 hole’s tee box was about to start listing some guidelines to the three golfers scheduled to tee off five minutes later. But there were only two golfers there.

Moments later, Tim Hoss Jr. appeared from around the corner, rushing toward the rest of his group with his clubs rolling just as fast on a push cart in front of him.

“I’ve never been good on time,” Hoss later said with a smirk.

Fast-forward about five hours, and he’s drilling a 20-plus-foot putt for birdie after a round littered with four three-putts to end day one of the 93rd Illinois State Amateur Championship with a 3-over-par 75.

“That was nice. That means a lot,” Hoss said of that final putt.

“That’s the only thing I need to work on for (Wednesday). I just need to free up my stroke a little. I missed like four 5-foot putts, and those are usually money for me.”

Despite his overall struggles on the green, Hoss was able to best both of the men he was playing with, which almost surprised him. Now 43 years old, Hoss can’t hit the ball as far as he once could, evident in his counterparts outdriving him by 30-40 yards on nearly every hole. He had to hit long irons and hybrids into some par 4s and even hit a wood off the tee of a par 3.

“I don’t have a whole lot more of these in me,” Hoss said. “This is a young man’s tournament, for sure, but I try to fake it a little bit and stay young. I’m hoping 75 is my high round so I can hopefully sneak in and make the cut. My goal is top 20.”

That might seem like a low bar to those in the Champaign-Urbana area who know the name Tim Hoss Jr. They’re used to seeing that name at the top of the leaderboard in local tournaments, winner of five UI Opens and six Twin City titles.

But that didn’t deter Hoss from having a good time on the course. He was constantly cracking jokes and sharing stories and laughs with his competitors as they all made the walk up to their next shots together.

“I definitely try to keep loose out there,” Hoss said. “The game’s hard enough. It’s a hard, lonely game, and you’ve got to support your competitors. I try to encourage them when they’re struggling. I’ve always been like that. Might as well root for the people in your group. There’s 150 players. You can’t root against them all.”

One of those many other players in the field is fellow successful Champaign amateur golfer David Deschler, who shot a 7-over 79 on Tuesday. He was disappointed in his performance, particularly his driving, but hopeful to improve on Wednesday.

“I just didn’t have much today, unfortunately,” Deschler said after Tuesday’s round. “I tried to grind and fight the whole way. I’m not real happy with the result, but it’s hard. I was hitting it short and crooked, and that’s a really bad combination off the tee compared to people hitting it long and straight.”

Like Hoss, Deschler has hoisted his fair share of local amateur trophies. He’s won a pair of UI Opens, two Naughtin Opens, including last year’s, and a Twin City championship.

And like Hoss, Deschler has a feeling the young guns are about to pass him up.

“I’m 46 years old and still playing in these against college kids,” Deschler said with a laugh. “It’s humbling, but it’s also a great test of where your game is at. Just to be able to qualify and play in this is pretty good for me. Just to be in the tournament is an accomplishment in itself. I keep trying. I’m already looking forward to senior golf.”

The top-35 golfers plus ties after two rounds make it to Thursday’s 36-hole final. After Tuesday’s opening round, Hoss is tied for 49th, just one stroke away from making the cut, and Deschler is a few shots back, tied for 89th. They’re both looking to improve parts of their game in Wednesday’s second round to make something happen and show the younger players they’ve still got it.