Mark Strickland
Western junior-to-be Mark Strickland shot a superb one-under-par 69 despite strong winds on the Bandon Trails Course at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in the first round of the 112th PNGA Men's Amateur Championship yesterday. Strickland, who recorded a strong 73.7 stroke average from ten tournaments in the 2012-13 season and was named a member of the Golf Coaches Athletic Association of America Division II PING West Region all-star team, battled winds of 30mph, with gusts reaching 40mph at times, to beat the field's average score on Bandon Trails by over 12 shots and lead strokeplay qualifying by two over recent Western graduate Jake Webb and Texas's David Snyder.
Afterwards, Strickland, who had never played the course before, commented on how his naturally low ball had been a distinct advantage. “I'm a low ball hitter, very low, so it obviously helps me in this strong wind,” he said. "“The key out here is to keep the ball in play and that’s my goal to get to match play."
Strickland plays the eponymous Bandon Dunes course in today's second round after which the top 64 from the 168-man field progress to matchplay. Former winners of the PNGA Amateur include Tiger Woods, Jeff Quinney, Ben Crane, Jeff Coston, Nick Flanagan, Jim McLean and Chandler Egan,
Scores
here.
