Defending Champion Morikawa Leads AGC Silicon Valley Am
Collin Morikawa
(Cal Bears Photo)
MORGAN HILL, Calif. (January 14, 2016) -- Defending champion Collin Morikawa picked up right where he left off last year, firing a 6-under 66 in the opening round of the AmateurGolf.com Silicon Valley Amateur presented by Callaway Golf.
Morikawa, a sophomore at Cal, shot 1-under on the front-nine before a stretch of two eagles in three holes on the back-nine. The first eagle came on the par-5 14th followed by a pitching wedge hole-out from 143 on the par-4 16th. A birdie on 18 gave Morikawa a closing 30.
Trailing by one is another Cal Bear, red-shirt freshman William Aldred who posted a 5-under 67. The Englishman rode a hot putter on his back-nine, dropping 20 and 30 footers in what his playing partner Sean Yu called an "unconscious" effort.
World Amateur No.1 Maverick McNealy sits alone in third after a 4-under 68 which included an astounding nine birdies. His playing partner and teammate Brandon Wu is close behind after a bogey-free 69 which puts him a tie for 4th with Saint Mary's freshman Blake Hathcoat and Daulet Tuleubayev.
SENIOR DIVISION
Tony Ralph leads the Senior Division by four shots after an opening-round 76 that could have been a lot better had it not been for an unfortunate nine on the par-5 14th. Sung Han and Jeff Britton are the closet pursuers after each shooting an 8-over 80.
WOMEN'S DIVISION
Fresno State commit Marie Dean leads the women's division by one shot over San Jose State's Alexandra Cooper after a 3-over 75. San Diego State's Daniela Anastasi (80) and Fresno State's Kelsi Stieler (81) round out the division.
NET DIVISION
Scott Carelli leads the Net division after a 3-over 75 put him eight shots ahead of Mike Sly.
Play will begin at 8:00 am tomorrow as the field switches to the difficult Coyote Creek Tournament Course.
ABOUT THE
AGC Silicon Valley Amateur
>>
2024 TOUR
PORTAL
The Silicon Valley Amateur is the first
AmateurGolf.com
tournament to have, on its past winner's list, a
MAJOR
champion. That would be Collin Morikawa, who
won
the
2016 title. Just over four years later, he won
the
PGA
Championship just up the road at TPC Harding Park
in San Francisco. Multiple PGA Tour star and
Morikawa's
fellow 2023 USA Ryder Cup team member Max Homa
also
won the
Silicon
Valley Amateur
in 2011.
For 2024, the tournament is moving to a new venue
--
Stanford University Golf Course. Tournament players
will relish competing at a course normally reserved
for
university students and faculty.
Please note that
we will
play on Monday and Tuesday, and expect this event
will
fill very quickly.
Related: The road to PGA stardom for Homa
and Morikawa went through the Silicon Valley
Amateur
DIVISIONS
CHAMPIONSHIP
For players aged 16 and over who have a USGA or
equivalent index of less than 5.5
SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
For players age 50 and over (as of the tournament
date) with a handicap index of less than 8.0. Note:
Must be 55 and over for NCGA Senior Points.
MID-AM (subdivision of Championship)
For players age
25-
49. Compete alongside the younger players in the
Championship Division, (same tees, same prize
opportunities) and if there are at least six Mid-Ams,
a
separate prize and trophy will be awarded.
SUPER SENIORS (subdivision of Senior)
For players age
65+. Compete alongside the younger senior players
in
the
Senior Division, (same tees, same prize
opportunities) and if there are at least six players 65
or
over, a
separate prize and trophy will be awarded for low
super senior.
WOMEN (subdivision of Championship)
Will play in the
Championship
Division but
from a shorter tee. If there are at least six women in
the field, a separate prize and trophy will be
awarded.
View Complete Tournament Information