Three tied for lead at WNB Golf Classic
MIDLAND, Texas -- The city of Midland earned the name because it was midway between Fort Worth and El Paso on the Texas and Pacific railroad. There were no “middle of the road” performances from Spencer Levin, Tom Gillis and Reid Edstrom who share the lead after the opening round of the WNB Golf Classic at the Midland Country Club.Levin, a Sacramento native, and Gillis, a Monday qualifying journeyman from Oxford, MI, were joined late in the day by Tour rookie Edstrom, from Auburn, AL, with 6-under-par 66s.
One stroke back at 5-under 67 are Australian’s Aron Price and Marc Leishman, Argentine Miguel Carbello, and Englishman Gary Christian.
Alone in eighth at 4-under is Utah Championship winner Brendon Todd.
Seven players, including Won Joon Lee, the Tour’s longest hitter, are tied for ninth at 3-under 69.
After making the turn at 4-under Levin made an eagle at the 552 yard, par-5 12th hole where he holed a 45 footer. However, the good work was undone when he bogeyed the par-4 14th.
“It was a real good bogey though,” said the ever-positive Levin. “I lost my ball and had to re-tee it.”
Three top-ten finishes in his last three events elevated Levin to No. 22 on the money list and have him in a good frame of mind.
“I’m doing good things right now,” said the University of New Mexico All-American. “Mentally, I’m getting better. I’m trying as hard as I can. Whether it’s a bad shot or a good one, I try to forget it and focus on the next one. I have no reason to just hang on as it’s the first time I’ve been in “The 25” all year. I’ve just got to keep trying to improve my spot.”
Gillis, a European Tour member from 1998 to 2002, made the cut at this year’s British Open, one of two cuts he has made on the PGA TOUR this year. This is his seventh event on the Nationwide Tour this season, with a tie for seventh at the Livermore Valley Wine Country Championship his best finish. He was erratic today, hitting only 11 greens in regulation but making up for it with only 23 putts.
“I love this place,” said Gillis, referring to Midland Country Club. “I always have a special feeling when I come here because you have to flight your ball. The wind blows and you have to hit shots. I love playing golf like that.”
“Since the British Open I haven’t played a lot as I don’t have full status,” said Gillis, who mixed six birdies with an eagle and two bogeys. “It seems like everything I did went right today. It was one of those days – you don’t get a lot of them. Putts from 40 and 50 feet were going in. It was a lot of fun.”
Gillis plans on playing the next two Nationwide Tour events to try and earn status and to prepare for the Qualifying School.
Edstrom, who has his father, Rick, caddying for him this week, bogeyed his final hole when his approach found a greenside bunker and he failed to get up and down.
“Overall I’m pretty happy with the round,” said Edstrom, who hit just six of 14 fairways. “I was fortunate. I hit it of line a few times and had clear shots through the trees.”
With a best finish of seventh at The Rex Hospital Open and lying 131st on the money list, Edstrom is aware he needs to play well to move up the money list.
“On the course you don’t think about the money list but at home you do. It’s tough to make cuts out here. These guys are so good and one errant shot with the wrong spin or wrong direction….it’s such a fine line.”
Edstrom prepared for this tournament by playing a mini-tour event last week.
“It’s so much nicer out here,” he said. “That’s my motivation.”
Price was out in the first group on a windy day, with gusts recorded up to 29 mph.
“We played two holes without the wind and then it got up quickly,” said Price, who spent most of the past two weeks back in Australia with his coach. The remainder of his time off was spent at his home in Jacksonville, FL, practicing with Vijay Singh at TPC Sawgrass.
“Practicing with Vijay is really good for your confidence,” said Price.
First Round News & Notes: Keoke Cotner (70) was the first alternate and got into the tournament when Chris Riley withdrew on Wednesday. Cotner drove to his home in Dallas Tuesday evening then returned the next day when he was notified by tournament officials – an 11 hour round trip…Blaine McAllister (71) celebrates his 50th birthday next Friday (October 17) and will make his Champions Tour debut in San Antonio the following week…Money leader, Brendon de Jonge, shot 1-under 71…Michael Putnam (70) and Dustin Bray (71) both made eagles at the par-5 4th and 12th holes…Scott Gordon (73) scored a hole-in-one at the 189 yard 16th hole…The scoring average was 72.778…There were 72 rounds of par or below recorded in round one.
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