The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebel Golfers Begin Play In Western And Tennessee Amateur
8/2/2011 | Men's Golf
Aug. 2, 2011
GLENVIEW, Ill./CORDOVA, Tenn. - Former Ole Miss golfer Jonathan Randolph began play at the prestigious Western Amateur Championship Tuesday, while rising senior Joe David began his quest for the Tennessee State Amateur Championship just up the road at Colonial Country Club.
Randolph shot a 1-over par 72 in the first round of the 109th event being contested at North Shore Country Club, and is tied for 43rd going into the second round.
Conducted over five days, the Western Am puts every aspect of a player's game to the ultimate test. The 156-man field will be cut to the low 44 and ties after two days of stroke play. On Thursday, 36 more holes of stroke play will determine the Sweet 16 that reach match play.
Friday is the first two rounds of head-to-head competition, followed by the semifinal and championship matches on Saturday.
This year's Western represents the first time any amateur championship ever has had more than half the top 50 amateurs in the world in its field (by way of the Scratch Players World Amateur Rankings).
Thirty of the world's top 50, 13 of the top 20, and six of the top 10 amateurs and the top four are all teeing it up this week.
Chris Williams and Jordan Spieth lead the field at 5-under. Twelve players are within three shots. Randolph, who qualified for the U.S. Amateur last week in Maryland, tees off the second round Wednesday at 1:10 p.m., hoping to go low enough to make the cut.
Up in Cordova, scores were high for the most part at the Tennessee State Am, as the once PGA Tour stop held up with only six guys under par for the day. David, a native Madison, Tenn., posted three birdies, but added five bogeys and a double to finish at 76 and tied for 32nd.
Two players are tied for the lead at 3-under. David will tee off the second round Wednesday at 8:30 a.m., hoping to move up the leaderboard.
