Luke Haskew and Reagan Zibilski lead at Desert Mountain
The 108th Southwestern Men's and Women's Amateur championships teed off on a comfortable day at the Cochise Course at Desert Mountain Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., and red numbers soon filled the leaderboards.
LSU rising sophomore
Luke Haskew (Baton Rouge, La.) had a beautiful scorecard on Wednesday, tallying 11 3's including an eagle on the par-5 12th to shoot 10-under 62. The round tied the course record on the Cochise Course.
“I felt very relaxed out there and definitely swung it well. I’m pretty sure I hit every fairway and hit nearly every green. Definitely a good ball striking day today,” said Haskew.
Haskew, who leads four players by three shots, is no stranger to low numbers, having shot a 63 in the opening round of the Mossy Oaks Collegiate this spring. It was the third-lowest round shot by an LSU golfer since at least 1985.
The defending champion is lurking, however.
Davis Bryant (Aurora, Colo. / Colorado State), who shot his own 63 on the Geronimo Course last year en route to a
two-shot victory, put himself in good position to repeat with a bogey-free 65. He is joined at 7 under par by
Caden McMackin of Loyola Marymount,
Jimmy Dales of the University of Wyoming, and
Brandon Shong of the University of New Mexico.
In all, there were 32 under-par rounds and the projected cut is a PGA Tour-like even par. Last year's runner-up
Gabe Salvanera of Arizona State shot 2-under and sits in a tie for 22nd.
In the Women's Championship, which in its fourth year has already established itself as a top event in the United States,
Reagan Zibilski (Springfield, Mo.) of the University of Arkansas shot an 8-under 64 to take a two-shot lead. The rising sophomore has already played in two U.S. Women's Amateurs and the 2019 U.S. Open.
“The past few months I felt very close about my game, so to see it all come together is extremely amazing,” she said. “I came in hitting good, my ball striking was good, and I was rolling the putter very well.”
Grace Lee (Bellevue, Wash.) of Gonzaga University is solo second after a 66, while former Texas Amateur champion
Bentley Cotton (Austin, Texas) of the University of Texas is in third at 5 under.
The defending champion
Camille Boyd (Yorba Linda, Calif. / University of Washington) shot a 1-over 73, two shots inside the projected cut line of 3 over par.
The playing order will switch for round two, with the women going off early and the men in the afternoon. The low 36 and ties in each division will advance to the final two rounds.
ABOUT THE
Southwestern Amateur
72-hole stroke play championship for national-level
amateurs with a handicap index of
1.4 or better. After 36 holes, the field will be
cut to the low 36 and ties. The
SWGA Selection Committee will select players
to
compete based upon
exemptions, playing resume and rankings.
The SWGA reserves the right to invite
amateurs of national and international
reputation, as well as other amateurs "of
note", to enter into the tournament.
Applicants are urged to submit their entries
with golf resumes of accomplishment in
major tournaments and other competitive
record
information.
View Complete Tournament Information