Zachary Olsen
THE WOODLANDS, TX – “This is where you
want to be going into the final round,” said
youthful Zachary Olsen, referring to his lead
in
the 107th Southern Amateur that winds up
Saturday.
Olsen, a recent Memphis high school grad
headed to Oklahoma State, shot 68 Friday in
the
third round for an 11-under 205 at Carlton
Woods Nicklaus Course.
Olsen, the first-round leader, jumped
past
2012 U.S. Amateur runner-up Michael Weaver
and sentimental storyline Kevin Marsh, a 40-
year-old Las Vegas businessman, when
neither
could break par Friday.
Weaver posted even 72 and Marsh stumbled
to
76 after a ruinous triple bogey on the par four
16th, a hole he had parred the first two days.
Marsh, coming off rounds of 65-68, had turned
in 2-over, then got one back quickly with a
birdie at the 10th and remained steady with
five straight pars from 11-15.
Tied with Marsh going into that hole, Olsen ran
in a 12-foot birdie for a four-shot swing.
Joey Garber, a Georgia Bulldog senior,
emerged from of the pack with a 67 on Friday
to
second place at 207, two shots behind Olsen.
Olsen, 19, said this would be the biggest
conquest of his budding career if he can hold
on to win and claim the champ’s automatic
berth in the PGA Tour Arnold Palmer
Invitational
next March in Orlando.
ABOUT THE Southern Amateur
The Southern Amateur, which dates back to 1902, is
one of two competitions held by the Southern Golf
Association (the other is the Southern Junior). This
is a 72-hole stroke play championship with a cut
made after 36 holes. Entries are open to any male
amateur golfer who has a current USGA Handicap
Index® not exceeding 3.4 under the USGA Handicap
System. Non-exempt players must pre-qualify at
one of the qualifying sites held across the southern
U.S. in the two months leading up to the
championship.
View Complete Tournament Information