Gurtner, a native of Guatamala who resides in Fort Worth, Texas, held the lead all day but Anderson climbed within a shot a couple of times. Gurtner comfortably tapped in for par on 18 for the win, even though a bogey on the 17th moved him that much closer to Anderson.
Gurtner completed his college-golf eligibility last spring at TCU and will finish a double-degree in economics and finance in May of 2019.
“I feel like it is the biggest tournament I’ve ever won because the other events are not as big with as many competitors and I feel it is my best win,” he said. “I feel like trusting myself was a key and an experience at the Latin America Championship helped me stay in the present.”
Gurtner and Anderson separated themselves from the field as Ferdinand Mueller and Sean Carlon tied for third at 5 under, four shots back.
ROUND TWO
Daniel Gurtner shot the tournament-low round of 6-under 65 on Tuesday at Sewailo Golf Club to take the 36-hold lead at the Gobbler Amateur. Gurtner, who last spring completed his eligibility at TCU, holds a two-shot lead over Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Canada.
Gurtner hails from Guatemala but is based out of Ft. Worth, Texas. He earned top-10 finishes this summer at the Northern Amateur (T-8) and Eastern Amateur (T-7). Gurtner tied for third at the Latin America Amateur in January.
Levi Valadez sits alone in third another shot back after rounds of 66-72. Two players — WooYoung Choi and Pryce Beshory are 3 under and tied for fourth. A total of seventeen players are at 1 under or better after two rounds.
ROUND ONE
Levi Valadez of San Antonio, Texas shot a 5-under 66 at Sewailo Golf Club to take a one-shot lead over Derek Bayley of Rathdrum, Idaho in the opening round of the Gobbler Amateur. Four more players are two shots back after opening with 68.
Valadez, a junior on the golf team at Sam Houston State, had a spotless card with five birdies and no bogeys to climb into the lead. Bayley, meanwhile, had seven birdies on his day but also threw in a bogey and a double bogey to finish with 67. He is a former member of the men’s golf team at Washington State who won the Idaho Amateur in 2016.
The top 10 finishers will be exempt into the Saguaro Amateur in January.