Round 1 Recap

Senior Ashley McKenney of Scottsdale, AZ, fired a round of 2 under par to open the Grayhawk Raptor Open in her hometown.  Miss McKenney, a 5th year FCWT player, will be looking for her 2nd win of the season on Sunday, when she will start with a 5 stroke advantage over

Lauren Salazar of Santa Clara, CA (2012) and

Paige Spiranac of Monument, CA (2011).  These three ladies have played together before and will tee it up together for Sunday's final round.  FCWT newcomer Pamela Burneski of Surrey, BC, CANADA (2009) will start the final round tied for 4th at 79 with Rebecca Schneider of Cave Creek, AZ (2009).

The Grayhawk Raptor Open got underway on Saturday in Scottsdale, AZ.  In the Boys 16-18 division, Jordan Epstein of Carlsbad, CA (2009) led all scores with a +2 (74).  He was one of only 2 players in this division to make an eagle on Saturday, his came on the 18th hole (his 9th hole of the event).  He has a one-stroke advantage over a foursome of players who are currently tied for 2nd at 75.  Raymond Gillip II of Las Vegas, NV (2009), Joe Rosenthal of Malibu, CA (2009), H.J. Roberts of Albuquerque, NM (2008), and Ryan Trujillo of Albuquerque, NM (2008).  Gillip, along with several other players, had 3 birdies on Saturday while both Rosenthal and Trujillo had 13 pars apiece to lead this division.  Troy Anderson of Paradise Valley, AZ (2008) and local player Mike Basco (2009) will start the final round tied for 6th at 76.  Seven players will start tied for 8th at 77, just three strokes back of the leader:  Richie Kernagis of Mesa, AZ (2008), Tad Murray of La Quinta, CA (2010), Niko Bain of Phoenix, AZ (2008), Kevin Gillick of Lincoln, NE and Scottsdale, AZ (2009), Hunter Hullett of Scottsdale, AZ (2009), and Michael Tomalty of Calgary, AB, CANADA.  Twenty-two players are within 5 shots of the leader with one round to play.

In the Boys 13-15 division, Evan Markley of Scottsdale, AZ (2011), playing in his first FCWT event, had a hole-in-one on #8, his second in his tournament career.  He currently leads this division by 2 after carding an opening round of 71 (-1).  David Lowe of Paradise Valley, AZ (2011), who carded 3 birdies, will start the final round in 2nd place and Taylor Bolton-Harvey of Englewood, CO (2010), who led this division in pars with 14, will start in 3rd place.  Fourteen year old Zachary Wright of Phoenix, AZ (2012) will start in 4th place at 76, just 5 shots back of the leader.

Six boys teed it up in the Boys 11-12 division and less than 10 shots separate them.  Randy Ross of Phoenix, AZ (2014) is leading after an opening round of 76.  Two strokes back is

Christopher Petefish of Danville, CA (2014) who has won twice already this season.  Eleven year old Gavin deFisser of Gilbert, AZ (2015) will start in 3rd place after an opening round of 82 puts him just 6 strokes back of the leader.