Sunnehanna Amateur: Favorites Struggle in the Wind and Rain

June 13, 2018 | by Julie Williams of AmateurGolf.com

Sahith Theegala (L) and Alex Smalley lead at -4<br>(John McCoy/Elite Performance Coaching photos)

On a long, wet day at Sunnehanna CC, Sahith Theegala and Alex Smalley lead at 4 under while some big names stumble out of the gate

JOHNSTOWN, PA (June 13, 2018) - At the end of a day lengthened by soggy conditions, delayed tee times and strong winds, Sahith Theegala’s round ended on a high note. Theegala, the Pepperdine standout and the reigning Sahalee Players champion, chipped in on the 18th green for a share of the Sunnehanna Amateur lead after one round at Sunnehanna Country Club.

Thanks to overnight rains in Johnstown, Pa., start times for the first round were delayed by two hours on Wednesday. Conditions were not easy and changed from wind and rain to sun and back throughout the day. Add the weather to thick rough and slick greens, and top players struggled. Theegala and co-leader Alex Smalley were among just eight players to post a round under par on Wednesday.

Smalley, of Wake Forest, N.C., climbed into a share of the lead with a birdie on the par-4 closing hole. Most recently, Smalley helped his Duke team to a quarterfinal run at the NCAA Championship. Last summer, Smalley won stroke-play qualifying at the U.S. Amateur.

Smalley led the field in par-4 scoring, playing those holes in 5 under. It was two shots better than any other player.

Behind Theegala and Smalley, California natives Seb Crampton and Justin Suh are tied for third at 3-under 67. Suh made the turn with a bogey at No. 10, then ran off three birdies in a row. He ended with a bogey that knocked him to 3 under, one shot off the lead. Crampton also bogeyed the 18th to drop out of the lead.

The Sunnehanna, a prestigious amateur event with a 65-year history, features a deep field. On Wednesday, however, those top players struggled to get around this A.W. Tillinghast gem. Most notably, Collin Morikawa, the No. 2-ranked amateur in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Ranking and the 2016 Sunnehanna champion, posted 6-over 76 for a share of 80th. There were no birdies on his card.

Brandon Mancheno, runner-up at the NCAA Championship, also went without birdies. He posted a 4-over 74 that left him tied for 61st with a group of players that included Brad Dalke, the 2016 U.S. Amateur runner-up who led Oklahoma to a national championship a year ago, and Austin Eckroat, a member of the Oklahoma State team that won the national championship last month.

Nathan Smith, a three-time Walker Cupper and Pittsburgh native, managed to do one better and was tied for 44th. Smith, who has won five USGA championships and won the Sunnehanna in 2011, is lending his voice to tournament committee for the first time this year.

Results: Sunnehanna Amateur

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Alex Smalley	Wake Forest, NC	1200	66-64-69-70=269
2	Quade Cummins	Weatherford, OK	900	72-68-66-65=271
3	Cooper Musselman	Louisville, KY	700	71-67-65-71=274
T4	John Augenstein	Owensboro, KY	700	72-67-68-68=275
T4	Stephen Franken	Raleigh, NC	700	69-67-70-69=275

View full results for Sunnehanna Amateur

About the Sunnehanna Amateur

Sunnehanna Amateur: Favorites Struggle in the Wind and Rain

First played in July 1954, the Sunnehanna Amateur holds a distinguished place in golf history as the first country club-sponsored 72-hole medal (stroke) play event for amateurs in the United States. Its groundbreaking format helped set the standard f...