ATHERTON IN THE HUNT AT US AMATEUR
August 19, 2008
VILLAGE OF PINHURST, N.C. – Laurentian golfer John Atherton opened his first-ever US Amateur Golf Championship by shooting a two-over-par 72 on Pinehurst course number four. The native of Toronto, Ontario sits tied-for-63rd heading into the final round of stroke play and needs to remain within the top-64 scores in the next round if he wants to continue on into the match play portion of the event.
Atherton, one of only 12 Canadians participating in the 315 golfer event, opened his front nine with three consecutive pars before bogeying the 193-yard par-three fourth hole. He then responded by alternating par-birdie for the next five holes to bring his front nine score to one-under-par 34, which at the time was good enough for a tie-for-sixth place.
On the back nine, Atherton opened with a birdie on the 394-yard par-four 10th before bogeying five of the next seven holes. On the final hole, he was able to get a stroke back, earning his fourth birdie of the day on the 453-yard par-four 18th hole, shooting a total of 38 on the back nine.
Atherton recorded four birdies, eight pars and six bogey’s to shoot a round of two-over-par 72 in the first round of stroke play. The Sports Administration major currently sits tied-for-63rd heading into the second round and is in the hunt for a spot in the round of 64, when the tournament turns to the match play format to determine a champion.
The leaders after the first round are Wesley Bryan of Chapin, S.C. and Andrew Putnam of University Place, Wash. who shot a first round of three-under-par 67. The top Canadians after round one are Cam Burke and Nick Taylor who shot rounds of even-par 70 to sit in a tie-for-21st. Atherton is the fourth ranked Canadian after round one.
Atherton takes to the course at Pinehurst early Tuesday morning with his second of two stroke play rounds set to start at 7:30 a.m. on the 10th hole on Pinehurst number two. A live scoreboard is available at www.usamateur.org.
Source: Greg Hoddinott, Laurentian Athletics
Atherton, one of only 12 Canadians participating in the 315 golfer event, opened his front nine with three consecutive pars before bogeying the 193-yard par-three fourth hole. He then responded by alternating par-birdie for the next five holes to bring his front nine score to one-under-par 34, which at the time was good enough for a tie-for-sixth place.
On the back nine, Atherton opened with a birdie on the 394-yard par-four 10th before bogeying five of the next seven holes. On the final hole, he was able to get a stroke back, earning his fourth birdie of the day on the 453-yard par-four 18th hole, shooting a total of 38 on the back nine.
Atherton recorded four birdies, eight pars and six bogey’s to shoot a round of two-over-par 72 in the first round of stroke play. The Sports Administration major currently sits tied-for-63rd heading into the second round and is in the hunt for a spot in the round of 64, when the tournament turns to the match play format to determine a champion.
The leaders after the first round are Wesley Bryan of Chapin, S.C. and Andrew Putnam of University Place, Wash. who shot a first round of three-under-par 67. The top Canadians after round one are Cam Burke and Nick Taylor who shot rounds of even-par 70 to sit in a tie-for-21st. Atherton is the fourth ranked Canadian after round one.
Atherton takes to the course at Pinehurst early Tuesday morning with his second of two stroke play rounds set to start at 7:30 a.m. on the 10th hole on Pinehurst number two. A live scoreboard is available at www.usamateur.org.
Source: Greg Hoddinott, Laurentian Athletics