AG San Diego Amateur: Luke Basile holds early lead at 70

For most of the day, it looked like 71 was going to be the leading number after round one at the AmateurGolf.com San Diego Amateur.

Several player after another took a look at a round in the 60s, but all wound up posting 1-over 71 at Carlsbad's Aviara Golf Club.

With one group on the golf course, it was up to Luke Basile -- standing on the 18th tee at 1-under on the day -- to do something to break a five-way tie. After safely finding the green on the gorgeous "lake hole," Basile nailed an 18-footer for birdie to close out the day at 2-under 70.

"I played here last year, and didn't play too well," said Basile. "I stepped it up this year."

The Methodist University (North Carolina) golfer from Thousand Oaks plans to keep his "playing steady" strategy going tomorrow. The five players at 71 giving the closest chase will comprise the final two groups. They are:

Angelo Marcon (San Francisco); Ben Soicher (Mill Valley); Arman Rahgozar (San Diego); Easton Phillips (Coronado); and Christian Schrodt (Mission Viejo).

One thing is for sure, if things are tight down the stretch, Basile would love to grab another birdie on No. 18. Today his was one of only two birdies among the entire field.

And while we are happy to be playing in the middle of a pandemic, everyone is looking forward to golf without "Covid rules." Putting with the pin in today wasn't without its challenges, and several players had short putts bounce back at them. We hope to alleviate some of the frustration tomorrow by having the holes set a little lower.

Along with Basile's 18-foot birdie at No. 18, at least one other long shot was holed -- an ace on No. 3 by Kyle Sharp.

Kyle Sharp

"It was a three finger nine iron," said Sharp after the round. Bounced past the pin and backed up into the hole."

The ace was Sharp's third, and the second in a serious golf tournament. He posted 77 on the day. Defending champion Shane Muldowney opened with 75. He will need a comeback like last year to make a charge in Sunday's final round.

SENIOR, NET, and WOMEN's DIVISIONS

Things were also bunched up in the Senior Division, but nobody was able to emerge from the pack at 4-over 76. Tom McKee of Carlsbad, Curtis Worley of Coronado, Robert Stone of Mesa, Arizona, and Bruce Loman of Newport Coast are ready to do battle tomorrow for the title.

Soran Lim of Villa Park and Michael Stevenson of Moorpark lead the Net Division after rounds of net 77.

Cameron Lee of Tustin has a four shot lead in the Women's Championship division after a round of 77.

Tomorrow's tee times run 7:00am to 9:00am, but due to Covid-19 restrictions no spectators are allowed on the course.