ROSWELL, Ga. (July 14, 2012) -– Lee Knox of Augusta, the 2010 Georgia Amateur champion, posted a 2-under-par 70 in the third round at Ansley Golf Club-Settindown Creek to take a two-stroke lead into the final round. Knox’s 54-hole score of 7-under-par 209 (69-70-70) is better than Matt Russell of Dunwoody’s 5-under-par 211 (71-71-69) by two strokes, who sits in second.
Knox, a member of the University of Alabama golf team, posted an eagle on No. 9, birdies on holes three, seven, eight and 11, and a bogey on five, 13, 16 and 17. Starting round three one stroke behind 36-hole leader Michael Garretson of Acworth, Knox quickly made up ground and managed to take control of the lead for the majority of the day. Going 4-under on the front nine holes, Knox made the turn with the lead and never looked back. Garretson, who plays golf at the University of South Alabama, is in third at 3-under-par 213.
Along with Knox, Russell and Garretson, four other players are under par through 54 holes. The defending champion, David Noll, Jr., of Dalton, is tied for fourth at 2-under-par 214 with Scott Weeks of Savannah. David Yowell of Marietta is tied for sixth at 1-under-par 215 with Chris Waters of Athens.
The low-round of the day goes to Bill Hodges of Thomasville, who fired a 4-under-par 68 on moving day. After 54 holes of the Georgia Amateur Championship, Hodges is tied for eighth at 1-over-par 217.
The tee on the ninth hole was moved up to make it a 286-yard par 4 on Saturday, which resulted in a pair of eagles on day three. The 54-hole leader, Knox, fired one of the eagles, and Hunter Cornelius, Jr., of Ringgold fired the other. Cornelius, a current GSGA Foundation Yates Scholar, is 6-over-par 222 through 54 holes of the Championship.
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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
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