Billy Walthouse
(URI Athletics Photo)

Teeing it up at the challenging par-69 Plymouth Country Club, Walthouse began the day three shots behind the first-round leader Jason Cook. After an even-par 34 on the front nine, Walthouse sprinted to the finish on the second nine. His run began with a birdie on the 11th before closing with 16th and 18th hole birdies to cap off his back nine charge. He was able to get into the clubhouse and post a 2-under 136 total.

It looked like it was Cook's tournament to win. Starting the day with a one-stroke lead over Davis Chatfield and Stephen Kuhn, Cook shot even par on the front nine and then birdied the 10th to go three under for the tournament. A bogey at the short par four 13th put him back to two under, and with Walthouse in the clubhouse at the same number, Cook needed to par the final hole to force a playoff.

But instead he made a double bogey and Walthouse was the winner.

Chatfield closed with an even par 69 to finish one shot back at one under 137 and as the runner-up fo rhte second straight year. Cook fell to solo third at even par 138.

Three players tied for fourth at 140: Andy Drohen, Mark Turner and Andrew Warfield. Kuhn shot a 73 to slip back to seventh at 141.

Last year's champion Brandon Gillis shot 148 to finish tied 34th.

Recently Walthouse concluded a stellar career with URI where as a junior he became the seventh player in program history to be invited as an individual to the NCAA Championship and the first since 1995. During that junior year Walthouse was also named the New England Golfer of the Year after winning three-times.

ROUND ONE RECAP

After first round play was suspended on Friday due to heavy rains the first round of the Hornblower Memorial Invitational has concluded. Play at the par-69 Plymouth Country Club resumed at 6:45 a.m. Saturday morning and when all was said and done it was Jason Cook who fired a 2-under 67 leading the way.

During the first round Cook struggled to 1-over 35 on the front nine and after a bogey on the 12th he was 2-over with just six holes remaining. However, the early round struggles didn't faze Cook as he birdied the 15th, eagled the only par-5 on the course the 16th and then birdied the 18th to play the final four holes in 4-under.

Stephen Kuhn will begin Saturday's final round in second place at 1-under while Herbie Aikens, Max Ferrai and John Hadges are just two back in a tie for third at even-par.

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