(Texas Golf Association)
HOUSTON, Texas (June 14, 2013) — Players arrived on Friday looking to make a move up the leaderboard during the second round of the 104th Texas Amateur Championship presented by Insperity. With a cut to the low 54 players and ties on the horizon, players looked to take aim at the Ralph Plummer and Ron Prichard designed Lakeside Country Club which has provided the players with an outstanding venue to compete on this week. Cloudy skies offered little relief from the sweltering temperatures and humidity that have challenged the players throughout the week as Friday’s round became a true test of skill and hydration. While temperatures rose, so did the play of many players looking to make their bid for the title of Texas Amateur Champion.
Round one leader, Doug Manor, looked to capitalize on his opening round 65 by continuing his stellar play around the greens during Friday’s morning wave of play. After opening his round with four straight pars Manor found trouble on holes five and seven which cost him. "Things got a little rocky at first”, Manor stated, "I let my mind wander a few times and I made some well-deserved bogeys.” Manor’s putter quickly righted the ship as he rolled in a fifty foot birdie putt on the eighth hole and added another birdie on the ninth to turn at one under. Capitalizing once again on the strength of his putter, Manor made back to back birdies on holes twelve and thirteen which placed him at three under par for the day and gave him a two day total of ten under par, 134.
Burleson’s Nathan Anderson who opened yesterday with a round of 69 had one goal in mind heading into today’s second round. "I just wanted to stay patient and play my game.” After a birdie on his second hole of the day, Anderson caught fire and never looked back as he made his way up the leaderboard. "I drove the ball extremely well which allowed me to stay stress free all day”, Anderson stated, "I hit driver on pretty much every hole which allowed me to make a lot of birdies.” Back to back birdies on holes five and six put Anderson at three under par making the turn and from there he kept pouring it on. Adding four birdies on the back, Anderson posted a seven under par, 65, giving him a two day total of 134 and placing him in a tie for the lead with Manor heading into the weekend.
Also finding himself near the top of the leaderboard during the morning wave was Texas A&M golfer, Drew Evans. Evans posted a second round 70 to place himself at five under par for the championship and in a tie for fourth heading into Saturday. "The course sets up extremely well for my draw, but it’s the shots that I’ve been able to save that have put me in the position that I’m in. When I have missed a green I have been able to save par which seems to be saving me two or three shots per round.” Looking to make a round two charge was University of Houston golfer, Vincent Martino, who improved ten shots from Thursday’s opening round firing a second round 66 which included birdies on five of the last six holes of his front nine. Martino, who captured the 2011 Byron Nelson Junior, finds himself in a tie for twelfth heading into the weekend.
The afternoon rounds created much of the same excitement as several collegiate golfers added their names to the already crowded leaderboard. Continuing the great play of U of H golfers, Senior Wesley McClain took advantage of another solid round as he posted a one under par 71 securing his position in third place, four shots behind the leaders. McClain played thirty-five holes of bogey free golf before finding trouble on the par four ninth hole which lead to a closing double bogey. SFA Freshman, John Sheehan, also found red numbers early and often carding five birdies within a ten hole stretch before finding trouble on the par five, eighteenth, which lead to a double-bogey seven putting him in a tie for fourth place entering the weekend. Joining Drew Evans and John Sheehan five shots back of the leaders was David Buchheit of Bryan. Buchheit who played at McMurray University began his day birdieing three of his first four holes and added three more on the back to post a four under par, 68. That paired with his opening round 71 give him a two day total of 139.
At the completion of play, fifty-seven players have advanced to weekend play after making the cut of four over par, 148. Included in those advancing are twenty-three collegiate players and several decorated Mid-Amateurs including the 2012 North Player of the Year, Mike Calef, and 2012 State Player of the Year, John Bearrie. Keeping the host club excitement alive, three Lakeside Country Club members (Bob Koort, Eric Otness, and Ryan Haselden) all look to use their course knowledge to make a charge during Saturday’s third round. At fifteen year’s old, Walker Lee, enters the weekend as the youngest player to make the cut. Lee, who played alongside his father in this year’s Texas Amateur, recovered well after an opening round of 76 and posted a two under par 70 giving him a two day total of 146.
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ABOUT THE
Texas Amateur
72 hole medal play walking-only championship first
played in 1906. At the completion of 36 holes the field
is cut to the low 54 and ties plus all players within 10
strokes of the lead.
18-hole qualifying rounds are held throughout the state
for players not otherwise exempt into the tournament
proper. Visit the Texas Golf Assocation website for
qualifier information.
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