Bentwater Yacht & Country Club
(Bentwater Yacht & Country Club Photo)

Sanders, of Austin, and Sanchez, of San Antonio, started off steady with a par on their opening hole, the par four 10th. After a birdie on the par five 11th, the duo carded seven pars in a row on their way to a 1- under par 35 for their opening nine. They would continue their steady play with three more pars to start their second nine. The momentum shifted in their favor when Sanchez, the 2013 South Mid-Amateur Champion, made back to back birdies on the par four fourth and the par four fifth. Sanders added to the tally and recorded an eagle on the par five seventh. The team finished strong with another Sanders’ birdie on the par four ninth. Their 6-under par score of 66 was good enough for a one stroke lead over a crowded leaderboard with twelve teams within four strokes of the lead.

Sitting at one stroke back are the teams of Schroeder / Hochauser and Booker / Kaplan. Five teams sit in a tie for fourth at 3-under par and three strokes back of the leaders for the Championship.

Montgomery’s Grant Schroeder and Sam Hochhauser carded three birdies during their opening nine, on their way to a 3-under par 33. Schroeder and Hochhauser traded birdies on the par four 13th and the par four 18th respectively to finish with a first round total of 5-under par 67. They will play in the final pairing tomorrow morning at 9:30 am with Sanders and Sanchez.

Mike Booker and Justin Kaplan, of Houston, got off to a fast start with an opening birdie from Kaplan on the par four first. Booker, the 2015 Texas Senior Amateur Champion, carded his lone birdie of the day on the par four fourth. Kaplan, the 2015 Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play Champion, carded two more birdies on the opening nine and another birdie on the par four 12th, on their way to a 5-under par round of 67.

Paired in the penultimate group with Booker and Kaplan is the team of Cory Wells, of Conroe, and Clayton Jeffirs, of Humble. Wells and Jeffirs sit in a five way tie for fourth place at 3-under par. Included in that tie is the team of Tony Soerries, of Montgomery, and Graham Lynch, of Magnolia. Soerries, a member at Bentwater Yacht & Country Club is also the 2013 South Amateur and the 2014 South Mid-Amateur Champion.

The final round has the makings of an exciting finish and will begin Sunday at 8:00 am off of holes #1 and #10 on the Weiskopf Course at Bentwater Yacht & Country Club and the leaders scheduled to tee off at 9:30 am.

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