Horschel Leads Trio Of Gator Golfers In First Round Of Western Amateur
Thursday, August 3, 2006 | Men's Golf
Rising sophomore Billy Horschel (Grant, Fla.) wrapped up a solid opening day at the 104th Western Amateur at Point O'Woods Golf and Country Club with an even-par 70. His score put him in five-way tie for ninth place at the end of the tournament's first day.
Horschel made the turn at even par, having birdied two holes and bogeyed two others. His first birdie came at the par-four fifth hole. He then bogeyed the par-four seventh, birdied the par-fourth eighth and bogeyed the par-three ninth to card a 35 on the front nine.
A birdie on the par-four 10th dropped Horschel down to -1 immediately after the turn, but a bogey on the par-five 13th gave the stroke back. He was able to string together five consecutive pars to finish the round with a 70.
“Billy hasn't played much this summer, so he's just starting to get comfortable out on the course,” Florida head coach Buddy Alexander. “The Western is grueling competition, but he can continue be successful if he remains in the present. Billy just needs to be Billy.”
Beginning his round on the first tee, incoming freshman Tyson Alexander (Gainesville, Fla.) fired a one-over 36 through nine holes. He tempered bogeys on the third and seventh holes with a birdie on the par-three fourth. He got to even-par with a birdie on the par-four 14th, but bogeyed 15 and 17 to finish the day tied for 26th at 72 (+2).
Junior Manuel Villegas (Medellin, Colombia) got his opening round off to a good start on the back nine, birdying the 10th hole, but posted two bogeys and double bogey over his next eight holes to make the turn at 38 (+3). Bogeys on the first, third and sixth holes left Villegas tied for 93rd at +6 after the first round.
Former Gator James Vargas (Miami, Fla.) posted a one-over 71 on Wednesday, putting him in a tie for 14th. The 2006 third-team All-American played the front nine at even par, sandwiching birdies on holes four and seven around bogeys on five and six. He bogeyed the par-five 13th and the par-four 15th before rebounding with a birdie on the par-four 16th hole to finish at +1.
For complete tournament information, including live scoring, please visit the official site of The Western Amateur.
Top-10 Individuals Through Round One
| 1. Richard Scott (Kingsville, Ontario) | 66 (-4) |
| T2. Brett Kanda (La Crescenta, Calif.) | 68 (-2) |
| T2. Jamie Lovemark (Ranch Santa Fe, Calif.) | 68 (-2) |
| T2. Tim Stewart (Australia) | 68 (-2) |
| T2. Gary Woodland (Berryton, Kan.) | 68 (-2) |
| T6. Jonathan Moore (Portland, Ore.) | 69 (-1) |
| T6. Mark Ogren (Daphne, Ala.) | 69 (-1) |
| T6. Ken Vanko (Aurora, Ill.) | 69 (-1) |
| T9. Billy Horschel (Grant, Fla.) | 70 (E) |
| T9. Rick Kulacz (Forrestfield, Australia) | 70 (E) |
| T9. David Merkow (Hartland, Wis.) | 70 (E) |
| T9. Marc Peterson (Modesto, Calif.) | 70 (E) |
| T9. Dawie Van der Walt (Beaumont, Texas) | 70 (E) |
Florida Players Through Round One
| T9. Billy Horschel (Grant, Fla.) | 70 (E) |
| T26. Tyson Alexander (Gainesville, Fla.) | 72 (+2) |
| T93. Manuel Villegas (Medellin, Colombia) | 76 (+6) |
-UF-
