Around the Green

Brown Tandem Shoots 65 to Take Father-Son Lead

Brown Tandem Shoots 65 to Take Father-Son Lead
GALVESTON – The Brown and Lindberg teams find themselves in familiar waters at the Texas Father-Son after two rounds. Cameron and Dean Brown lead the event at 14-under par while defending champions Andrew and Mark Lindberg sit two shots back. The top of the leaderboard heading into the final round is nearly indistinguishable from the 36-hole leaderboard of last year’s event.

But this year at Moody Gardens Golf Course, the roles are reversed from the last time we saw these two teams battle late on Sunday at a TGA state championship.

Last July at Horseshoe Bay, Andrew and Mark Lindberg held a sizeable lead heading into the final round, but Cameron and Dean Brown would close the gap with strong play over the final 18 holes and force a playoff. The Lindbergs eventually prevailed on the extra hole as the Brown’s comeback bid came up just short.

On Saturday the Brown pair shot their second consecutive round of 65, giving them a two-day total of 130 heading into the final round. Cameron Brown recorded six birdies in round two, raising his tournament total to 13, while his father Dean Brown added another four circles on the scorecard as they turned a one-shot deficit into a two-shot lead.

The Lindbergs lurk just two shots back as they posted a 4-under 68 during round two to reach 12-under par. Andrew Lindberg, who is committed to play golf at UT-Arlington in the fall, recorded five birdies on the day. But critical mistakes, like both players taking bogeys on No. 3 and No. 13, kept the tandem from a share of the lead.

With the format shifting from four-ball to combined score for the final round in the Championship Division, the team strategies will be slightly different on the final day.  

“I’m just going to take less aggressive lines – more three-woods off the tee,” Andrew Lindberg said. “I’m excited.”

Also tied for second at 12-under par is the team of Matthew and Scott Van Zandt. The pair fired 68 in the second round, but struggled to keep their momentum from an opening 65. They opened the day with four birdies in their first five holes, but could not sustain the momentum. The duo played the final 13 holes at even par and will be playing catch up on Sunday.

“Overall it wasn’t as easy today,” Matthew Van Zandt said. “But we put ourselves in contention, and tomorrow is going to be the day that really matters.”  

After the completion of 36-holes, the Championship Divison was split into two flights. The top 17 teams will compete for the overall Teaxs Father-Son champiosnhip. The remaining 15 teams will play in the Presidents Flight.  The Presidents Flight will continue to play gross four-ball stroke play. 

The top of the Presidnets Flight leaderboard is crowded with four teams tied for the lead. Trip and Burl Hobson, Scott and Knox Wagoner, Chuck and Clinton Keller, and Rick and Richman Hosuton are all 2-under par for the tournament. 

The net flights – which teed off in the afternoon – battled summer coastal conditions throughout the day, proven by the shift on the leaderboards.

The Hogan Flight saw plenty of action on moving day as Scott and Cameron Chottiner made a move into second place with a flight-best 60, aided by a hole-in-one from Cameron. The younger Chottiner holed out on the ninth hole from 145 yards to help catapult the team up the leaderboard. But they still sit four shots behind John and Jack Kennedy who continued their hot play as they posted at 21-under for the tournament following a 62.

Darrell and Tim Bowe still hold the lead in the Nelson Flight following a 66 on Saturday, but the margin between them and the field has narrowed. The duo of Phil and Philip Dooling posted a 10-under-par 62 – the best score in the flight by four shots – to close the Bowe’s lead to two shots.

Hal and Peyton Cook also saw their lead shrink on day two. They followed their 61 with a 65 in round two, but Peyton Cook could not follow up his six-birdie performance from round one. His lone birdie came on the 12^th hole on Saturday. Mike and Chip Block kept up their steady play posting 65, while Paul and Martin Meredith shot 62 to climb within four of the leaders.

In the Kite Flight, the duo of David and David Cash saw their six-stroke lead shrink to four by day’s end. After blitzing the field with a 15-under 57 on day one, they could only muster a 66 in the second round. They still find themselves in the lead, but will need a steadier performance in the final round to repeat as flight champions.

The final round of the Texas Father-Son begins at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Click here for tee times, live scoring and more information.