Willy Walsh takes first round lead at AmateurGolf.com's Silicon Valley Amateur
Baylands Golf Links in Palo Alto yields its fair share of birdies under normal conditions and recent rains in the Bay Area left the friendly course virtually defenseless on Saturday in the first round of AmateurGolf.com's Silicon Valley Amateur presented by Callaway Golf.
Three Bay Area high school standouts along with a 36-year-old mid-amateur hold down the top four spots on the leaderboard after taking advantage of the driver-friendly, soft golf course in the shadows of Stanford University on Saturday.
After carding a first-round 66, Willy Walsh, a senior at Serra High School in San Mateo, holds a one-stroke lead over Tamalpais High School senior Niall Shield Donegan and Bay Area mid-am veteran Chris Goin, who matched 5-under rounds of 65. Donegan's Tam teammate, Ben Friedman, is just two back after opening with a 4-under 68.
Walsh, the son of longtime Serra football coach Patrick Walsh, had seven birdies and just one bogey on his Saturday card for an easy 66.
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"The greens were amazing and if you hit a good putt, chances are it was going to go in," said Walsh. "The course was a little soft due to the weather but in really good shape."
Donegan birdied two of his first three holes but was stalled at 1-under through 12. However, the Northwestern commit finished like a ball of fire with birdies on four of his last six holes for an inward nine of 31 and a round of 67.
Goin, of Alameda, reached the semifinals of last year's San Francisco City Championship. Today he used six birdies to offset his only bogey of the day on the 17th hole en route to a 67. Goin has had success at Baylands, where he won last year's Palo Alto City Championship.
Defending champ Dan O'Connor leads seniors with a 4-under 68. Sean Crowley of Littleton, Colorado is two shots back after posting 70.
The field may have to deal with Mother Nature in tomorrow's final round, as rain is expected in the Palo Alto area in the late morning. The tournament committee changed the start from tee times to an 8:30 am shotgun to give everyone the best chance of getting in before the rain.
ABOUT THE
AGC Silicon Valley Amateur
The Silicon Valley Amateur is now a 54-hole, limited-field WAGR points event! The field will consist of 64 scratch players and 18 invited scratch seniors. After 36 holes are contested (one round on Monday, one on Tuesday), the field will be cut to the low 30 scratch amateurs and ties, and the low nine scratch seniors and ties. These players will be eligible for the final round on Wednesday. We expect to gain exemptions for winners into several top tournaments - details forthcoming. Past champions of this tournament include PGA Tour stars Collin Morikawa and Max Homa.
DIVISIONS
CHAMPIONSHIP
For players aged 16 and over with a USGA or
equivalent index of 1.9 or less.
SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
For players age 50 and over (as of the tournament
date) with a handicap index of 3.9 or less. Note:
Must be 55 and over for NCGA Senior Points.
MID-AM (subdivision of Championship)
For players age
25-
49. Compete alongside the younger players in the
Championship Division, (same tees, same prize
opportunities) and if there are at least six Mid-Ams,
a
separate prize and trophy will be awarded.
WOMEN (subdivision of Championship)
Will play in the
Championship
Division but
from a shorter tee. If there are at least six women in
the field, a separate prize and trophy will be
awarded.
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