Pang battles wind to lead AmateurGolf.com Pacific Grove City
Darren Pang (Photo by Conner Penfold)
Three distinct playing conditions greeted contestants at Pacific Grove Golf Links on Saturday. Early tee times enjoyed the morning calm, middle-of-the-pack groups fought the increasing winds, and late pairings watched the fog roll in from the Pacific Ocean.
Darren Pang fell into the second category, as he fired his first tee shot at 8:50 a.m. and likely experienced more brisk winds than most of the field, particularly on the exposed but picturesque back nine. After circling back-to-back 2s on his scorecard at the 9th and 10th, the San Ramon native steadily braved the inward nine’s all-too-typical conditions with eight consecutive pars. His 3-under par 67 leads the AmateurGolf.com Pacific Grove City Championship by a shot over playing partner
Nathan Wang.
The left-handed Wang, who will play for the University of California in the fall, bogeyed the closing par-4 to drop a shot behind Pang. Also making 5 at the 18th was third-place JJ West, who managed four birdies on the difficult back nine en route to his opening 69. Though two back in the Championship Flight, West paces the mid-amateur contingent by five over
Jerry Ledzinski and
Travis Rowney.
The Senior Division experienced the infamous peninsula fog as visibility suddenly diminished for longer tee shots. First-round leader
Daniel O’Connor was on the 12th tee box when the marine layer engulfed the challenging par-5. He would go on to make his third birdie of the day, finishing his round at even-par with a one-stroke advantage over
Jeff Weiss and
Charles Richesin, the latter of whom is atop the Super Senior leaderboard by one over
Craig Calkins.
John Barnes posted 70 and leads the Net Division one ahead of
Stephen Mort, whose costly double on 18 canceled out a net-eagle on 16.
ABOUT THE AGC Pacific Grove City
>> TOUR PORTAL
Individual championship at the wonderful
Pacific
Grove
Golf
Links, known to many as "The Poor Man's
Pebble
Beach." That's because the back nine plays
right
along
the Pacific Ocean in an out-and-back links style
layout. If you haven't played this Monterey
Peninsula gem, entering this tournament with a
friend or relative is the perfect way to
experience
it. Field limit 104; Championship, Senior, and
Net divisions.
DIVISIONS
CHAMPIONSHIP
For players aged 16 and over who have a USGA or
equivalent index of less than 5.5
SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
For players age 50 and over (as of the tournament
date) with a handicap index of less than 8.0. Note:
Must be 55 and over for NCGA Senior Points.
NET
For players 16 and over with handicap between 5.5
and 18.0.
MID-AM (subdivision of Championship)
For players age
25-49. Compete alongside the younger players in the
Championship Division, (same tees, same prize
opportunities) and if there are at least six Mid-Ams,
a
separate prize and trophy will be awarded.
SUPER SENIORS (subdivision of Senior)
For players age
65+. Compete alongside the younger senior players
in
the
Senior Division, (same tees, same prize
opportunities) and if there are at least six players 65
or
over, a
separate prize and trophy will be awarded for low
super senior.
WOMEN (subdivision of Championship)
Will play in the Championship
Division but from a shorter tee; if there are at least
six women in
the field, a separate prize and trophy will be
awarded. Net players will
play in the Net Division but from a shorter tee.
View Complete Tournament Information