Jackson Spires moves to top of Eastern Amateur leaderboard

PORTSMOUTH, VA (July 9, 2016) -- Jackson Spires sits atop a tight leaderboard with 18-holes left to play at the Eastern Amateur. Spires is 10-under and leading Joey Lane, 9-under, by one shot at Elizabeth Manor Golf & Country Club. Spires, a senior at East Carolina, has rounds of 67-66-67 so far this week as he looks to become the second ECU Pirate to win a Major of Amateur Golf event in as many weeks. Tim Conover won the North & South Amateur last weekend. In the third round Spires bogeyed the second hole before kicking things into gear with birdies on the 5th, 10th, 11th and 12th holes to reach 10-under. Following a bogey on the 13th, Spires birdied the final hole to get back to 10-under. Last week's Virginia Amateur winner and Virginia Tech golfer Joey Lane moved into second place alone with an 18th hole eagle. Lane, now 4-under on the 18th hole for the week, had been scuffling with bogeys on 14 and 17 before picking up the eagle. Throughout the first 13-holes Lane rolled in four birdies and two bogeys. Peter Knade, Hayden Buckley (Missouri), 36-hole leader Jeg Coughlin and Australian James Grierson are all tied for third at 7-over and three behind. Four players are also tied for seventh just one shot further back at 6-under. The group includes defending champion James Clark (Georgia Tech).