Fields leads at Jones Cup
- Carolinas G.A. photo
SEA ISLAND, Georgia (Feb. 4, 2011) -- Jack Fields, of the University of North Carolina was the only player under par Friday at Ocean Forest Golf Club and took the early lead at the Jones Cup.
Despite a double-bogey at the par-4 12th, Fields turned in a 2-under 70 to lead by two shots after Round 1.
In addition to a strong college resume that includes being selected to the All-ACC golf team, fields is a top performer in Carolinas Golf Association events - he captured the Carolinas Golf Association Amateur.
Tied for second at 1-over 73 are Ole Miss senior Jonathan Randolph, 2009 Walker Cupper Bud Cauley and a pair of junior golf standouts – Texas signee Jordan Spieth, No. 2 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Rankings, and Stanford signee Patrick Rodgers (No. 8).
Spieth was leading the tournament for much of Round 1, but was done in by a bumpy closing stretch that saw him play the final four holes in 4 over.
Sitting in sixth place is 2009 U.S. Public Links Champion Brad Benjamin (74), who is one shot ahead of a group of college stars at T-7 that includes defending champion Patrick Reed – a junior at Augusta State. Illinois’ Luke Guthrie, Ohio State’s Bo Hoag, Alabama’s Hunter Hamrick and Pepperdine’s Andrew Putnam also shot 75. Putnam is coming off a win at last week's Arizona Intercollegiate.
U.S. Amateur champion Peter Uihlein, No. 1 in the Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Rankings, is tied for 49th after a 7-over 79.
ABOUT THE
Jones Cup
The Jones Cup is probably the biggest of the
springtime
amateur majors in the United States, and the reason
is the venue and the strong U.S. and
international field. The past champions list is littered
with PGA Tour stars, including Justin Thomas,
Patrick Reed, Luke List, Kyle Stanley, Beau Hossler
and
several others.
This 54-hole individual stroke-play event,
inaugurated
in 2001, is played at Ocean Forest Golf Club.
The Rees Jones design opened in 1995 and has
hosted
the Georgia State Amateur Championship, the
Southern Amateur Championship and the 2001
Walker
Cup Match. The Jones Cup brings together
many of the finest amateurs from the United States
and abroad for a three-day competition.
The Jones Cup was born from a deep commitment to
amateur golf by the A.W. Jones family, who
founded the Cloister and Sea Island Golf Club in
1928.
The Sea Island Golf Club has played host to
seven USGA championships. The Jones Cup is yet
another extension of the family's strong
involvement in amateur golf.
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