Takes lead with 64
***** Note: Championship flight is at Del Monte Sunday, 8:30 shotgun start. Net and Senior flights are at Pacific Grove, 7:30 shotgun start *****
PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. (De. 6, 2008) -- Burlingame's Randy Haag ripped off a 6-under-par 64 at Pacific Grove Golf Links to take the first round lead at the amateurgolf.com Christmas Classic and grabbed a hammerlock on the amateurgolf.com - Bridgestone Golf Tournament Series Player of the Year race. Entering the final tournament of the season with a 75-point lead over Monterey's Chris Marin, Haag needed only a top-10 finish to sew up the title, but he seems poised to do much more than that.
"I was making all of the six, eight, ten foot putts, they aren't all going to go in, but I was just trying to put my best stroke on it, right line, right speed, that's all you can do," said Haag, who is the reigning AGC Tournament Series Player of the Year. "It was just really enjoyable, great weather, the back nine right on the ocean, great field, this is what we play for."
Haag has plenty of work to do if he wants to take home the tournament. University of Denver senior Chris Gilman trails him by a stroke at 65, and has a good deal of confidence heading into the final round after going under par at Del Monte (site of the second round of play) Friday during a practice round. The Yorba Linda native took sixth in last year's tournament, carding a 75 at Del Monte in his first time playing the course. He picked up some local knowledge from Casey Boyns (the founder of the Christmas Classic) during that round, knowledge that he expects to come in handy in Sunday's round.
"I felt like I left a 60 or a 61 out there today, I don't know how I ran into so many birdies," said Gilman. "I was just hitting fairways and greens, because there was no wind it was easy to go right at the pins if you leave it in the right spots."
Kent Yamane and Jeremy Gearhart are also in the chase at 4-under 66, as are Andrey Mindirgasov and Reid Scarff at 67. Altogether there were 17 players at par or better.
Full results, including senior and net divisions will be posted later tonight.
ABOUT THE
AGC Christmas Classic
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The Christmas Classic was
founded by 2-time
California State Amateur Champion Casey
Boyns over 20 years ago and it always
attracts
a great field. This is our most popular event,
and year in and year out it sells out. Field
limited to 104 players; Championship, Senior,
and Net divisions.
Your entry fee includes two rounds of
golf
(cart at players expense), $4500 in
Callaway Golf certificate prizes,
$20 lunch certificate,
and a
great
weekend at one of the Monterey Peninsula's
wonderful classic courses, "Old" Del Monte.
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.
NET
For players 16 and over with handicap between 5.5
and 18.0.
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. Net players will
play in the Net Division but from a shorter tee.
View Complete Tournament Information