W.E. Cole Cotton States: Tanner Napier is medalist as round two is rained out
Tanner Napier
(USGA Photo)
MONROE, LA (July 28, 2016) -- Rain and thunderstorms caused the second round of stroke play qualifying to be rained out at the Cotton States, in Monroe, Louisiana. Indeed, other tournaments throughout the region were cancelled as well, including the third round of the Texas State Junior.
Tanner Napier will enter match play as top seed after posting 67 on Thursday.
Friday will start early for all those who shot 74 on Thursday -- they will return to the course for a 7:00am playoff for the last 6 spots for match play. Match play will start at 8:00am with tee times running through 9:10am. Players can call the pro shop after 6:30am to see when they tee off.
PREVIOUSLY POSTED
MONROE, LA (July 27, 2016) -- On the first day of stroke play qualifying at the Cotton States Tanner Napier took a one-stroke lead thanks to a 5-under 67. Napier is in the drivers seat with one day of qualifying remaining at Bayou DeSiard Country Club.
Napier, a junior at Arkansas State played nearly flawless golf on Wednesday carding six birdies and only one bogey. The round got off to a flying start with five birdies on the front side, including one on the opening hole.
After a front nine 5-under 31, Napier birdied one and bogeyed one for an even-par back nine.
Australian Blake Collyer is in second place following a 4-under 68 that included five birdies and a bogey. Collyer's must impressive run came on holes 2-5 when he birdied three of the four holes.
Devin Jackson (Texas Tech) and Hunter Shattuck (Baylor) are tied for third at 3-under while four others share fourth with a 2-under first round score.
Thursday will be the final day of stroke play before the focus switches to match play on Friday.
ABOUT THE Cotton States Amateur
Originally played in 1949 as the Bayou
DeSiard Labor Day Golf Tournament, the
tournament's
name was changed to the Cotton States
Invitational in 1951 by the club's young head
professional, W. E. "Winnie" Cole. He felt that
the
name better reflected the main states that the
tournament's players originated from (and a
move
to
mid-summer made the name a necessity later
anyway). Little did Cole know that 27 years
later, in
1978, the event would be renamed again,
forever to
be known as the W. E. Cole Cotton States
Invitational Golf Tournament.
Past champions of this highly competitive, yet
festive
tournament include Don January and Hal
Sutton. Gil
Morgan, David
Toms and many other PGA Tour players have
also
competed. The tournament field field is limited
to 96
amateur
participants
having a verified USGA Handicap Index not
exceeding 0.0. Long a match play event, the
format was changed in 2021 to 72 holes of
stroke play.
View Complete Tournament Information