Hayden Buckley takes over New Year's Invitational lead
Hayden Buckley
(Twitter Photo)
ST. PETERSBURG, FL (January 7, 2017) -- It was a cold and windy third round at the New Year's Invitational and with the wind a new look scoreboard blew in. After starting the day at St. Peterbsurg Country Club four shots back Hayden Buckley fired a 1-under 71 that was good enough to move him to 8-under and first place.
Buckley, a junior at Missouri, is working back from an early season injury that limited him to just two events in the fall. His best finish came in Missouri's final event of the fall, the Warrior Invitational where he tied for sixth.
One-stroke behind Buckley in second place is the 7-under duo of Harrison Shih and Peyton Wilhoit.
Wilhoit, a sophomore at Southern Illinois, was the leader after each of the first two rounds and he began the third round with a four-stroke lead at 11-under before dropping back to 7-under with a 4-over 76. Despite the third round struggles Wilhoit is still right in the mix.
Shih, the 2016 Ivy League Player of the Year with Columbia, moved into second place as he matched the round of the day with a 2-under 70.
Florida commit Joseph Pagdin (-5) is in fourth while Brandon Pierce (-4) of LSU and Chip Thomas (-4) of Middle Tennessee are deadlocked in fifth.
Pagdin made some headlines in December 2015 when as a 13-year-old he became the youngest player to commit to Florida.
The father of defending champion Jimmy Jones Sr. (70-70-77--217) captured the Senior Division by one-stroke over Marshall Gordon. In the Super Senior Division Kent Whittemore claimed the title.
ABOUT THE
Historic invitational golf tournament that
originated
on the Lakewood golf course in 1927. This
same
amateur invitational tournament -- which
attracts
top Florida amateurs and a strong group of out-of-
state players as well --
continues,
unbroken, each year although the club
name was
later changed to St. Petersburg Country
Club.
The 2025 New Year's Invitational Champion will earn an exemption into the LECOM Suncoast Classic, a Korn Ferry Tour event.
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