Amateurs show well in first round of North Carolina Open
Amateurs David Kocher (pictured) and Tyler Lucas share second at North Carolina Open
(Maryland Athletics Photo)
KANNAPOLIS, NC (June 7, 2016) -- PGA Professional
Kelly Mitchum leads the 52nd SignArt North Carolina
Open being held at The Club at Irish Creek in
Kannapolis, NC. One hundred sixty-eight of the top
playing PGA Professionals and amateurs in North and
South Carolina have come together for the 54-hole
championship.
Mitchum, a PGA Teaching Professional at Pinehurst
Resort & CC in Pinehurst, NC, took advantage of ideal
early scoring conditions. The winds picked up in the
afternoon gusting up to 15-20 miles per hour. Mitchum
sank six birdies, and had only one bogey for a 33-
33=66 (-5) on the par-71 layout.
Tied for second are two amateurs - Tyler Lucas of
Rock Hill, SC and David Kocher of Charlotte, NC. Both
had rounds of 67 (-4).
Only three strokes back of them sit a group of 13
competitors tied for fourth at 69 (-2). As a whole, the
amateur participants are playing particularly well. Out
of the top 16, 12 of the competitors are amateurs.
For the second round, those who started in the
morning will be repaired by score in the afternoon wave
and vice versa. After 36 holes, the field will be reduced
to the low 60 and ties.
View results for North Carolina Open
ABOUT THE North Carolina Open
The North Carolina Open is open to both
amateurs and PGA professionals. It is
organized
by the Carolinas section of the PGA of
America. 54-hole stroke play. The field is
reduced to the low 60 contestants (or 1/3 of
the field if 140 or less) and ties after 36
holes.
Interesting Fact: Both
state
opens
run by the
Carolinas section, the North Carolina Open
and
the South Carolina Open, are the only ones in
the United States that prohibit non-PGA
professionals from competing. It has been
played annually since 1965 at a variety of
courses around the state.
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