Every player in the tournament carries a bag with the name of a wounded or fallen soldier
(Patriot All-America photo)
LITCHFIELD PARK, AZ (December 30, 2017) – Garrett May, a junior at Baylor University, shot a second-round 69 to take a one-shot lead over three players at The Patriot All-America Invitational at the Wigwam.
After a bogey-free opening round of 65, May had a more challenging round on Saturday, bogeying his first hole and two others, but he offset those dropped shots with four birdies to get into the clubhouse at 6-under 134.
George Cunningham, a senior at the University of Arizona, matched May's score of 69 to remain one shot behind at 5 under. But other players moved up the leaderboard, including S.M. Lee of Dalton State, whose bogey-free 4-under 66 was tied for the low round of the day and pulled him into a second-place tie. Mason Overstreet of the University of Arkansas shot a 68 to join Lee and Cunningham at 5 under.
Braden Thornberry, the winner of this event in 2015 and the current #1 ranked golfer in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Ranking, shot a 66 to move into solo fifth, just two shots back of May's lead. Thornberry had 7 birdies on the day.
Luke Schniederjans of Georgia Tech shot a 70 to sit alone in sixth at 3 under, while a group of five players are at 2 under for the tournament.
In all, 11 players are within 4 shots of May's lead, which could mean a shootout for Sunday's final round.
Now in its seventh year, The Patriot All-America Invitational features a field of 84 PING All-America golfers from all three NCAA Divisions, NAIA and NJCAA rankings as well as from U.S. Military Academies and universities outside the United States. Current PGA TOUR stars who have played in The Patriot All-America during their college careers, include: 2017 US Open champion Brooks Koepka (2011), 2017 PGA Championship winner and FedEx Cup champion Justin Thomas (2011), Patrick Rodgers (2011), Daniel Berger (2012) and Bryson DeChambeau (2013).
What separates The Patriot All-America from other collegiate golf tournaments is participants play for more than themselves or their school. Each golfer honors a fallen or severely injured soldier by carrying a golf bag bearing the name of that soldier. Before the tournament, participants receive a card with the soldier’s story, so they can be familiar with who that person was, what they represented and how they were killed or wounded in action. At the conclusion of the tournament, the golf bags are shipped to players’ schools and auctioned with all proceeds benefitting the Folds of Honor Foundation, which provides post-secondary educational scholarships for children and spouses of military service men and women killed or disabled while in active service.
To get a better idea of the spirit of this unique event, and what it means to the players and the families of the fallen soldiers they honor, watch the video below.
ROUND ONE RECAP
Under sunny skies and a high near 75 degrees, Garrett May shot an opening round 5-under par 65 to lead The Patriot All-America Invitational at The Wigwam in Litchfield Park, Ariz. University of Arizona Senior George Cunningham, playing in his fourth Patriot All-America Invitational, is one shot back with a 4-under par 66. Five players are tied for third with 3-under par 67s, including: Patrick Fishburn from BYU, Mason Overstreet from the University of Arkansas, Alejandro Tosti from the University of Florida, Ryan Gronlund from the University of Oregon and Luke Schniederjans from the Georgia Tech.
May, a junior from Baylor University, shot a bogey-free round that included three birdies on his front nine (the course’s back nine) on holes 12, 14 and 15, and two birdies on his back nine, holes 2 and 7. May was a part of a historic Baylor team a year ago when the Bears reached the top spot in the rankings for the first time in program history.
Overall 25 players are even-par or better and within five shots of the lead.
Reigning NCAA Individual Golf Champion and 2015 Patriot All-America champion, Braden Thornberry sits five shots back after firing an even par 70. Thornberry, a junior at Ole Miss, is currently ranked #1 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Ranking.
ABOUT THE Patriot All-America
The Wigwam and the Golf Coaches Association
of America (GCAA), in partnership with the
Folds of Honor Foundation present the Patriot All-
America Invitational. It's one of the most unique
events
in all of golf.
84 top collegiate players named to the PING All-
America team in NCAA Division I,II and III, NAIA
and
NJCAA, AJGA, one player from each military
academy
and select international players compete in a 54-
hole
championship.
Each player honors our military by carrying a bag
with
the name, rank and service of a fallen or severely
wounded soldier embroidered on the pocket.
Following
the championship, the bags go to the players’ school
for auction, with proceeds benefiting the Folds of
Honor.
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