ROSWELL, Ga. (July 12, 2012) -– Robert Sheats of Alpharetta, Scott Weeks of Savannah and 2010 champion Lee Knox of Augusta all turned in scores of 3-under-par 69 to share the opening round lead of the 91st annual Georgia Amateur Championship, taking place at Ansley Golf Club-Settindown Creek, July 12-15.
Weeks, 32, posted a clean round with three birdies and 15 pars. Knox, 21, a golfer at the University of Alabama, collected five birdies with two bogeys. Sheats, 46, who finished in a three-way tie for runner-up honors when the Amateur was last held at Settindown in 2007, had four birdies with one bogey (par-3 17th).
A total of 15 players finished under par on the 7,104-yard track, and after the three 69s, the field is bunched together. Six players – Jimmy Banyas of Duluth, Bill Faith of Eatonton, Michael Garretson of Acworth, William Mitchell of Roswell, Travis Snyder of Fayetteville, Chris Waters of Athens – finished at 2-under 70. Mitchell, the reigning Georgia Public Links Champion, was runner-up in last year’s Georgia Amateur. Another six players came in at 71, while 11 players came in at even-par.
Defending champion David Noll Jr. of Dalton carded a 1-over 73.
Knox, who is the son of two-time Georgia Mid-Amateur champion Jeff Knox (who shot an 81 in today’s round), is looking to become the 16th golfer in Georgia Amateur history to win at least two titles.
The Georgia Amateur Championship is conducted by the Georgia State Golf Association and brings together 144 of the state's best male amateur golfers for the prestigious state title first won by Bobby Jones in 1916.
The Championship format is 72 holes of stroke play over four days. After 36 holes of play, the field will be cut to the low 70 players and ties and anyone within 10 strokes of the leader.
An online leader board, featuring all competitors’ complete scorecards, is currently available at www.gsga.org. During Friday’s second round, scores will be updated after nine holes and as each golfer finishes his round. The weekend rounds will feature live, hole-by-hole scoring for several of the leading groups as well as nine-hole updates for all the other groups.
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ABOUT THE Georgia Amateur
A field of 144 of the state's best will compete
over 72 holes of stroke play with the field cut to
the low 70 and ties after 36 holes.
Open to male amateur golfers; non-exempt
players enter
through one of 11 statewide qualifiers
View Complete Tournament Information