Willy Walsh takes first round lead at AmateurGolf.com's Silicon Valley Amateur

February 25, 2023 | by Jim Young of AmateurGolf.com

Serra High School senior opens with a 66 at Baylands Golf Links; 2022 runner-up Dan O'Connor leads seniors with a 4-under 68

Baylands Golf Links in Palo Alto yields its fair share of birdies under normal conditions and recent rains in the Bay Area left the friendly course virtually defenseless on Saturday in the first round of AmateurGolf.com's Silicon Valley Amateur presented by Callaway Golf.

Three Bay Area high school standouts along with a 36-year-old mid-amateur hold down the top four spots on the leaderboard after taking advantage of the driver-friendly, soft golf course in the shadows of Stanford University on Saturday.

After carding a first-round 66, Willy Walsh, a senior at Serra High School in San Mateo, holds a one-stroke lead over Tamalpais High School senior Niall Shield Donegan and Bay Area mid-am veteran Chris Goin, who matched 5-under rounds of 65. Donegan's Tam teammate, Ben Friedman, is just two back after opening with a 4-under 68.

Walsh, the son of longtime Serra football coach Patrick Walsh, had seven birdies and just one bogey on his Saturday card for an easy 66.

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"The greens were amazing and if you hit a good putt, chances are it was going to go in," said Walsh. "The course was a little soft due to the weather but in really good shape."

Donegan birdied two of his first three holes but was stalled at 1-under through 12. However, the Northwestern commit finished like a ball of fire with birdies on four of his last six holes for an inward nine of 31 and a round of 67.

Goin, of Alameda, reached the semifinals of last year's San Francisco City Championship. Today he used six birdies to offset his only bogey of the day on the 17th hole en route to a 67. Goin has had success at Baylands, where he won last year's Palo Alto City Championship.

Defending champ Dan O'Connor leads seniors with a 4-under 68. Sean Crowley of Littleton, Colorado is two shots back after posting 70.

The field may have to deal with Mother Nature in tomorrow's final round, as rain is expected in the Palo Alto area in the late morning. The tournament committee changed the start from tee times to an 8:30 am shotgun to give everyone the best chance of getting in before the rain.

Results: AGC Silicon Valley Amateur

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	William Walsh	San Mateo, CA	150	66-68=134
2	Niall Shiels-Donegan	Mill Valley, CA	100	67-68=135
T3	Mitchell Hoey	Alamo, CA	50	72-67=139
T3	Brandon Knight	Pleasanton, CA	50	72-67=139
T3	Joshua Kim	La Palma, CA	50	70-69=139

View full results for AGC Silicon Valley Amateur

About the AGC Silicon Valley Amateur

Willy Walsh takes first round lead at AmateurGolf.com's Silicon Valley Amateur

As our premium medal-play event, The Silicon Valley Amateur at Stanford Golf Course is now a 54-hole, limited-field WAGR and NCGA points event! Past champions of this tournament include PGA Tour stars Collin Morikawa and Max Homa. The 2027 field will...