Round 1 Recap

Kyle English of Bloomington, IL (2009) and David Erdy of Boonville, IN (2008) will battle it out on Sunday at the St. Andrews Open for the Champions title of the Boys 16-18 division.  English, a third year player, is playing some of his best FCWT golf ever.  His round of one over par, included 4 birdies, tying for the most in this division.  Erdy, is a second year player, who is coming off a win last weekend at Purdue and looking to become the first Boys 16-18 player to earn two wins this season.  Second year player Jacob Bailey of Wanatah, IN (2008) put together a great round on Saturday that has him tied for 3rd heading into Sunday's round.  Bailey's +2 (73) will start him in a tie with 16 year old FCWT newcomer Mike Slavin of Johnston, IA (2009) and 4th year veteran Jon Trasamar of Blue Earth, MN (2009).  Trasamar shaved several strokes off his final round earlier this month at Notre Dame to finish T10.  Watch for him to move up the leaderboard tomorrow as well.  Two players are tied for 6th at 74:  Brett Coburn of Libertyville, IL (2009) and Matt Hageman of Dixon, IL (2009).  FIve players will begin the final round tied for 8th at 75 (+4), just 3 strokes back of our leaders:  Sean Marquardt of Willowbrook, IL (2010), Erik Peterson of Palantine, IL (2008), David Smith of Plymouth, MN (2009), Alex Walker of Carmel, IN (2008), and Noah Thatcher of Luck, WI (2009).

In the Boys 13-15 division, third year player John Callahan of Hinsdale, IL (2010), led all scores with a round of 75 (+4).  He will begin Sunday's round with a 2 shot advantage over a group of 3 tied for 2nd at 77.  Thirteen year old Michael Holevas of Elgin, IL (2012), thirteen year old Charlie Marshall of Lake Forest, IL (2012), and 15 year old Trevor Rosekrans of Haslett, MI (2010), are currently tied for 2nd.  Rosekrans already earned a 3rd place this season at Purdue - the other two posted their best rounds of the season and hope to take home awards this weekend.  They are one stroke ahead of Dane Worley of Cedar Rapids, IA (2011), who will start the final round in 5th place.

Worley knows about this next group as 2 years ago he won at the 11-12 division.  That is what FCWT newcomer Raymond Knoll of Naperville, IL (2012) is hoping to do on Sunday.  Knoll carded a round of 75 (+4) in his first FCWT event.  He leads Ian Mankoff of Lake Forest, IL (2013), who led this division in pars with 11, by 1 stroke.  Twelve year old Drew Langan of Winnetka, IL (2013), who finished 2nd at Purdue, is currently in 3rd place.  Langan tied Freeman for the most birdies in this division with 3 on Saturday.

With a round of 74 (+3), sixteen year old Erin Sharpee of Green Bay, WI (2009) is out to the first round lead at the St. Andrews Open.  Miss Sharpee, who won the Whistling Straits event in May 2007, is playing in her first event of the 2007-08 season.  She and Lindsey Solberg of Verona, WI (2008), currently in 2nd place, both carded 12 pars on  Saturday to lead the field.  Miss Solberg just won last weekend at Purdue so Miss Sharpee will need her "A" game on Sunday to hold on to 1st place.  Also in pursuit are Ashley Armstrong of Flossmoor, IL (2011), who carded one of only 2 eagles on the day, and Lauren English of Bloomington, IL (2011), who led this division in birdies with 3.  They are in 3rd and 4th place, respectively.  Lauren is only 3 strokes back of the lead so it will be close on Sunday as these ladies battle it out.  FCWT newcomer Margaret Adams of Joplin, MO (2008) will start the final round in 5th place after opening with an 80.