WESTLAKE — Saturday was moving day at the Jeff Davis Bank/Westlake City Championship and it was Neithan Allen making the move to the top of the leaderboard at the National Golf Club of Louisiana.
Allen started the day in a three-way tie for second at 2 under, but after fighting off several challengers he owned a three-shot lead going into today’s final round at 6 under.
He shot a 4-under 68, which could have easily been 64 if not for several missed putts and four bogeys on Nos. 4, 5, 12 and 15.
“I kind of hit the ball about like I did yesterday,” Allen said. “I hit it a little closer today but I had a few putts that I left out there today.
“I turned an easy 8 or 9 under round into only 4 under. I only missed three greens all day long, and they were not really in tough spots. They all pretty much hit the hole but none of them were going in.”
Allen missed a 10-foot putt for eagle on No. 10, another for birdie on No. 11 and had a 12-foot birdie putt skirt the cup on No. 18.
Allen bogeyed Nos. 4 and 5 and fell two shots behind Channing Kile, Kade Hagan and Craig Trosclair. He took the lead for good with a birdie on No. 16.
Allen said it is going to take another round of 4 under or better to win the tournament.
“It is going to take at least what I shot today,” Allen said. “It will take another 4 or 5 under.
“I know a couple of people had it going under par today and they just kind of struggled at the end. With the course conditions the way they are, the greens are starting to dry out a little and rolling a little better. Someone could easily shoot a 6, 7 or 8 under par (Sunday).”
Allen is going for his fifth city championship (Lake Charles 2013, 2015, Westlake 2013, Sulphur 2013).
Trosclair who threatened to run away from the field early Saturday. He made four birdies on the front nine to take the lead at 5 under and got to 6 under after a birdie on the par-5 No. 11, but closed out the day with five bogeys on the final seven holes. He shot an even-par 72 to sit at 1 under with Hank Shaheen and Blake DeReese in fourth.
“At lot happened on the back nine,” Trosclair said. “My tempo and everything was bad.
“I can’t explain anything. Golf is a funny sport. I got on a little bogey run and struggled to come in. I just couldn’t get up and down.”
Despite the setback in the second round, Trosclair said he feels he still has a shot at the title. He is looking for his first city championship since winning the Sulphur City championship in 1994.
“I think I can build on it because I had it to six-under for the tournament, so I know it is there,” Trosclair said.
Kile shared the lead through No. 8 with either Allen, Hagan or Trosclair, but bogeyed Nos. 9 and 10. He made it back to the top twice on the back nine but couldn’t keep pace with Allen. Kile ended up shooting his second consecutive under-par round at 71 and was three shots behind Allen.
“I think that it is just a putting contest now,” Kile said. “Neithan hit it great today and he could have gone really low.
“I felt like I left four or five shots out there. It is who hits the most putts. It is really just getting the speed right and it is actually better than yesterday.”
With five shots separating the top six players, Kile said the door is wide open for the tournament title.
“It is a long day,” Kile said. “It is five hours and anything can happen. Two or three shots is one hole.”
Hagan, who led after one round, shot a 73 on Saturday and was in third at 2 under.
from American Press: Your Best News And Advertising Source - Home http://ift.tt/2b9Kxdw
0 التعليقات:
Post a Comment