Round 2 Recap (Tiburon - Black Course)

Michael Beddow of Weston, FL (2008), who led the field in birdies on Friday, takes over the lead on Saturday

Round One of the Holiday Challenge at Tiburon got underway on Friday under partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-70s.

Fifteen year old Patrick Sterner of Rydeback, SWEDEN (2010) posted an excellent round of even par on this difficult Gold Course to lead all scores.  Sterner, a first year FCWT player, is playing in his second event of the season.  He began the second round with a 3 stroke advantage over 5 players who were tied for 2nd at 75:

Brant DeLongy of Winter Park, FL (2009),

Brian Fister of Lexington, KY (2008),

Joshua Cabrera of BERMUDA (2009), James Dewling of Brighton, MI (2008), and Michael Beddow of Weston, FL (2008). 

As the players moved to the even more challenging Black Course on Saturday, Beddow carded a round of 76 despite a triple bogey 7 on # 17.  Michael continues to lead this division in birdies with 8.  He will begin Sunday's final round at 151 - just one stroke ahead of Brant DeLongy of Winter Park, FL (2009). 

Carson Weinand of Naples, FL (2009) carded the Low Round on Saturday and moved from tied for 8th to tied for 3rd place at 153 with Sterner.  Three strokes back and tied for 5th at 156 are

 Tyler Smith of Brentwood, TN (2010), who also started the day tied for 8th, and James Dewling of Brighton, MI (2008).

Yi-Hsiu Luo of Fengyuan City, TAIWAN (2008) carded a 77 to move into a tied for 7th with Zi Ting Wang of CHINA (2010). 

Alex Walker of Carmel, IN (2008), also carded a round of 77 to moved into 9th place and Namsub Padungsiriseth of North Augusta, SC (2009),who is leading this division in pars with 26, is currently in 10th place at 159.

At the end of Round One of the Boys 13-15 division, Meechai Padungsiriseth of North Augusta, SC (2011) and Kevin Liu of St. Albans, MO (2012) were co-leading at 76 after Friday's round on the Black Course.  Meechai, playing in his 3rd event of the season, led this division in birdies with 4.  Thirteen year old Kevin is playing in his 5th event of the season with his best finish coming at Bobcat Trail where he finished 2nd.  Right behind them at 77 were two players who began round two tied for 3rd: 

 Chad Merzbacher of Dublin, OH (2012), who has 3 top 3s already this season and Nicholas Torrance of East Lyme, CT (2010) who has two 2nd place finishes already this season.

On Saturday, Merzbacher took over the lead with a second consecutive round of 77, this time on the Black Course.  Merzbacher is leading this division in pars with 25.  He will enter Sunday's final round with a 5 stroke advantage over Padungsiriseth who is at 159. Liu will start in 3rd place at 160 as the three are paired together for the final round for which players will return to the Gold Course.  Liu and Padungsiriseth are leading this division in birdies with 5 apiece. 

Chipper Hughes of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (2010) moved up to 4th place with a second round score of 79 that puts him at 161 overall.  Two players are tied for 5th at 162: thirteen year old Michael Werenski of South Hadley, MA (2012), a 4th year player, playing in his 1st event of the season and Jared Howard of Dublin, OH (2011).