J.B. Williams Holds the Halfway Lead at Eastern Amateur
PORTSMOUTH, VA (July 14, 2017) -
J.B. Williams, a recent graduate of the University of Akron, continues to lead the 61st Eastern Amateur at Elizabeth Manor Golf & Country Club.
Related: Eastern Amateur: J.B. Williams posts 62 for early lead
Williams, who opened the tournament with a stellar round of eight-under 62, posted a three-under 67 Friday to complete 36 holes at 11-under 129.
After playing his opening nine in even par, Williams then ran off four consecutive birdies beginning at the 10th to move to 12-under before a bogey on 14.
Williams plans to turn professional after the U.S. Amateur, and would like to make his last visit to Elizabeth Manor a memorable one with two more strong rounds.
A shot back after a four-under par 66 is Radford golfer Myles Creighton. Creighton continues a hot streak that saw him win the prestigious Rice Planters tournament last month and the Nova Scotia Amateur championship last week.
Creighton’s round included 6 birdies and 2 bogeys.
Campbell’s Brett McLamb and East Tennessee State golfer Ben Reichert are third 4 shots off the pace at 7-under 133.
Incoming Virginia freshman Brandon Yoon and Virginia Tech golfer Ian Hildebrand are in a group 7 shots off the pace tied for 12th.
Among local golfers, Mike Southworth of Virginia Beach leads the way tied for 15th at 3-under par. Elizabeth Manor member John Rosenstock of Virginia Beach is 1-under and Suffolk’s Trey Wren is even par.
80 players made the cut which came at 4 over par 144.
ABOUT THE Eastern Amateur
The Eastern Amateur is a 72 hole stroke play
event that perennially attracts a top-drawer field.
The tournament has been
played -- with the exception of 1977 and 1999 -- at
Elizabeth Manor Golf and Country Club. Elizabeth
Manor is a par 70 Dick Wilson design in Portsmouth,
Virginia.
The impressive list of winners includes U.S. Open
winners Curtis Strange, Ben Crenshaw, Andy Bean,
Hubert Green, Jim Furyk and Steve Jones. Other
notables who have played in the Eastern Amateur
are Lanny Wadkins, Arron Oberholser, Steve Marino,
Scott Hoch, Clarence Rose, Gary Koch, Bob Tway,
John Rollins, Fred Funk, Carl Petterson, Chip Beck,
Jim Simons, Ben Crenshaw, Steve Melnyk, Andy
Bean and Steve Liebler. Liebler won the who the
Eastern in three different decades and is the only
golfer to have ever qualified for the USGA Junior,
USGA Amateur, USGA Open, USGA Public Links,
USGA Senior Open and USGA Senior Amateur as
well
as representing his state in the USGA Team
competition.
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