Alameda Commuters: Carlos Briones leads by one after first weekend
Carlos Briones
ALAMEDA, Calif. — The first weekend of play at the Alameda Commuters Tournament is complete, and Santa Clara University sophomore Carlos Briones owns a one-shot lead through the first two rounds.
Briones, of San Lorenzo, shot 68-66 at the Earl Fry North course at Chuck Corica Golf Complex and leads first-round leader Jeremy Sanchez and Steven Chung by one. Twenty-one players are under-par through 36 holes and 53 players made the cut at three-over par 145.
Sanchez, the opening-round leader at seven-under 64, posted even on Sunday and will head to next weekend in good shape. Chung, the two-time NCGA Valley Amateur champion from Sacramento, shot 68-67 to hold a share of second place with Sanchez.
Defending champion Jonathan De Los Reyes rebounded with a second-round 69 after posting 75 on day one to make the cut by two shots at two-over 144. He's ten shots back in a tie for 35th.
Players have been met with a unique challenge at this year's event. With the Jack Clark South course being closed due to complete renovation, the tournament is being played completely on one course.
“Not since 1955 has the Commuters been contested on one course," PGA professional Jack Cummings said.
Because of the tight squeeze, with 208 players in the championship flight on the first weekend, players were sent out in two separate waves. Next weekend, the course will house the remaining 53 players who made the cut, along with the Senior Championship, which has a field of 52.
Third round play will kick off next Saturday, with the final round of this 72-hole event concluding Sunday.
ABOUT THE
Alameda Commuters
What's in a name? In the case of the Alameda
Commuters Championship, the logo of the
almost 100
year old tournament would be a dead
giveaway. It's
a steam ferry, which was the only way to
"commute"
to San Francisco from the East Bay before the
Bay
Bridge was built. Started as an informal event
-- the
original first prize was a bag of nails -- the
tournament has grown into one of the top
independent events in California.
A
dedicated tournament committee prides itself
on
running the competition
as if
it were a PGA Tour event. Two of the best
public
courses at the city-owned Chuck Corica Golf
Complex
are prepared with care. Slick greens, Sunday
pins,
and even that rarity in amateur golf –
spectators are
all part of the fun. The roped-off scoreboard is
a
particular area of pride for the "green jackets"
who
were wearing dark green blazers before they
were
made popular by another tournament you
might be
aware of in Augusta Georgia. The 250 player
championship division is cut to 50 and ties for
the
second weekend, at which time the 36-hole
senior
division tees off to join them.
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