Around the Green

Pocknall Leads After Round 1 at the West Texas Amateur

The 85^th Annual West Texas Amateur got underway
Friday at San Angelo Country Club. Hosting this championship for the first time
since 2008, San Angelo Country Club is providing the 125 player field with a
fantastic golf course that is sure to produce an exciting finish. The field is
made up of three divisions (Open, Senior, and Super Senior), each competing for
the coveted West Texas Amateur Trophy and title. The open division started
early on Friday morning, where they were met with soft conditions, ideal for
scoring.

David Pocknall of Katy sits at the top of a crowded
leaderboard in the Open division after an opening round 66. Pocknall started
the day with three straight pars but birdied three of the next six and would
head to the back nine at 3-under par. He continued his great play on the back
side with birdies at #10, #15, and #17. The only blemish on his card came on
the 18^th hole with a bogey. A
round of 5-under par, 66, gives Pocknall a one shot lead heading into the
second round on Saturday. Logan Philley of Robert Lee sits one shot back of
Pocknall with a 4-under par round of 67. Philley overcame two bogeys with four
birdies and an eagle on the par 4, 5^th, to position himself nicely
heading into the weekend. San Angelo Country Club member and 2011 West Texas
Amateur Champion, Beau Davis is tied for 3^rd at 3-under par with Lewis
Stephenson. Michael Culin, Mitchell Griffin, and Ed Sanchez are also in close proximity
after solid 2-under par rounds of 69.

The afternoon round brought slightly tougher conditions for
the Senior and Super Senior divisions. That didn’t seem to bother Mike Peck, who
fired a bogey free round of 66. Pecks round included birdies on holes #3, #9,
#10, #12, and #14. Peck holds a two shot lead over Mac McGee of Midland. McGee
had two birdies on his front nine, and followed them up with two birdies and a
bogey on his back nine to finish with an 18-hole total of 3-under par, 68. Doug
Hopton-Jones sits three shots back at 2-under after a solid round that
consisted of one birdie, one bogey, and an eagle. Also close behind at 1-under
par are Bob Kearney, and Denny Alexander.

Michael Hastings of Waxahachie has a one shot lead in the
Super Senior division after a solid round of even-par, 71. Hastings shot even
on both sides matching three birdies with three bogeys. Bill Holstead of Wichita
Falls sits alone in second place at 1-over par, followed by Sam Boyd and Dale
Fell at 2-over par.

Round 2 will present each division with a 36-hole cut to
determine who will play in the final round on Sunday morning. 35 players and
ties will move on from the Open division, 19 players and ties from the Senior division,
and 9 players and ties from the Super Senior division. Scores and tee times are
available at WWW.TXGA.ORG.