Caleb Surratt (Aiken Standard)

Monday qualifier Caleb Surratt continued his stretch of great golf on Thursday as he took a commanding 5-shot lead as the field at the Palmetto Amateur heads into the weekend.

"Just being able to take it one shot at a time all week. I haven't really thought about the score," Surratt told the Aiken Standard. "I know that my good golf can compete with anybody, so if I keep that in mind and just commit to every single shot, one at a time, and don't think about my score then I should be good."

Following an opening 63 with a 4-under 66 on Thursday, Surratt sits at 11-under with 36 holes left to play. However, with last week’s North & South champion Tyler Strafaci 5-shots behind Surratt, the 16-year old Indian Trail, North Carolina native has to keep the throttle down.

Setting the pace should not be a problem for Surratt as he’s birdied 17 of the 54-holes he’s played this week a Palmetto Golf Club. 11 of those birdies have come over the past two days more than canceling out his lone bogey of the tournament which he carded on the par-3 11th on Thursday. Surratt, albeit a Monday qualifier, know he is up to par with the rest of the field.

"I realized when I got into the tournament, even though these guys are all exempt and everything, I belong here as much as they do," he said. "I did my work to get in. I've just been trying to take the field out of play and just play my golf. I think it can compete with anybody as long as I'm sticking to it."

Of the 51 players in red numbers yesterday, 21 remained under par. Louisville senior and Ireland native, Devin Morley was the biggest mover on Thursday as he carded the low round of the day (65) to jump 37 spots into a tie 17th at 1-under.

Play resumes at 7:30 am local time (EST) with Surratt, Strafaci, and Kentucky’s Alex Goff teeing off at 11:30 am.