Fernando Barco gutted it out at Naples National (Terra Cotta photo)
NAPLES, FL (April 15, 2018) -
Fernando Barco, a former Purdue University player from Peru, battled gusty winds to gut out a one-shot win at the Terra Cotta Invitational at Naples National Golf Club.
On a day where only 3 of the 78 players in the field broke par, Barco shot a 1-over 73 to finish the tournament at 5-under 211, one shot ahead of Jackson Suber (Tampa, FL) and Fred Biondi (Brazil).
"It feels awesome," said Barco. "It was really tough today; the scoring conditions were not ideal, it was really windy, but I'm just proud of how I held myself coming down the stretch and pulled it off."
Suber, an Ole Miss commit, had the low round of the day with a 70. Biondi, a high school junior from Port St. Lucie, FL who is originally from Brazil, had a 71.
Ahead of an approaching storm system, the winds kicked up and the scores went up. Second-round leader
Caleb Proveaux (Lexington, SC) was up by one over Barco after rounds of 69-68, but struggled to a final-round 80 including 44 shots on the inward nine.
Barco birdied 3 and 4 but gave both shots back with a double on the par-3 7th. He had one bogey and 11 pars from there, and his steady golf in the difficult conditions was enough to come out on top.
Andrew Alligood (St. John's, FL) and Joey Savoie (Canada) shared fourth place at 2-under 214.
Azalea Amateur champion Cole Hammer (Houston, TX) finished in a tie for sixth with Proveaux at 1-over 217.
U.S. Mid-Amateur champion
Matt Parziale (Brockton, MA), coming off a
memorable Masters week, was the low mid-amateur in the field, finishing toed for 14th at 6-over 222.
ROUND TWO RECAP
South Carolina sophomore Caleb Proveaux carded a 4-under 68 to move to 7-under and take over the lead, albeit a slim one with one round remaining at the Terra Cotta Invitational.
Two back at the start of Saturday play and chasing from the get go on day two at Naples National Golf Club Proveaux started quickly birdieing three-times from Nos. 3-7 as part of a flawless 3-under 33 on the opening nine to turn in 6-under for the tournament.
Early on the backside Proveaux kept the good times rolling with 10th and 13th hole birdies to reach 8-under only to give strokes back with consecutive bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes. Unfazed by the late round struggles, Proveaux carded a bounce back birdie on the last to finish the side in 1-under 35.
Former Purdue Boilermaker Fernando Barco turned in the round of the day, a 5-under 67, and he will begin the final round 6-under and in second place. Barco played a nearly flawless round of golf birdieing four-times, eagling the par-5 15th while dropping just a single shot with a bogey on the 16th. Like the 36-hole leader, Barco closed his round with an 18th hole birdie.
First round leader and Florida commit Joe Pagdin followed up his first round 5-under 67 with a disappointing 2-over 74. On Saturday Pagdin just couldn't get it going. Pagdin did birdie the 3rd, but that proved to be his only one of the day to go along with three bogeys.
A trio of players are sharing fourth at 2-under including former Middle Tennessee standout Joey Savoie, 2016 Florida Junior Player of the Year Fred Biondi and Florida's Won Jun Lee.
Of Note: Matt Parziale fresh off his Masters appearance last week is in a tie for 22nd at 5-over, 2018 Azalea Invitational winner and Texas commit Cole Hammer moved to even-par and a share of ninth at 1-over, six off the pace while 2016 NCAA Division II Individual Champion Hugo Bernard fell to 2-over and a share of 15th.
ROUND ONE RECAP
Just a few weeks ago Joe Pagdin had a chance to win the Azalea Invitational but fell just short, losing in a three-way playoff that was won by Cole Hammer. Now after the first round of the Terra Cotta Invitational Pagdin is in position once again to win a Major of Amateur Golf.
On Friday at Naples National Golf Club the 2020 Florida commit fired a 5-under 67 to take the lead with two rounds remaining. Pagdin rolled in his first birdie on the par-3 3rd and also carded an eagle two on the par-4 7th as he got off to a 4-under start through eight-holes.
A native of England, Pagdin did fall back a bit with 9th and 11th hole bogeys only to rebound with four birdies from Nos. 12-17 to reach 6-under. Pagdin did falter on the last with a bogey but he was still able to finish the day one-stroke ahead of a deep field that features 16 Rolex Junior All-Americans and 40 players ranked in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Amateur Rankings, the Scratch Players World Amateur Rankings and the R&A World Amateur Rankings.
Former Augusta University golfer Jake Marriott is currently holding down the second place spot following his 4-under 68. His Friday included six birdies and two bogeys. Even-par after 10 holes, Marriott played the last eight in 4-under.
South Carolina's Caleb Proveaux along with Won Jun Lee of Florida are third at 3-under in third place while LSU commit and 2018 Jones Cup winner Garrett Barber and former High Point golfer Jay Card are sharing fifth at 2-under.
A group of three others that including Hugo Bernard are just four back in a share of seventh at 1-under.
Some other notable scores include Matt Parziale fresh off his Masters appearance last week and Azalea Invitational winner Cole Hammer at 1-over, six off the pace.