Kilgo takes North Carolina Mid-Am lead with opening 63

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Sept. 7, 2018) – Matt Kilgo saved his lifetime best tournament round for his last tournament of the 2018 CGA season. Kilgo, a 40-year-old from Charlotte, N.C., fired a bogey-free 63 in Friday's opening round of the 25th North Carolina Mid-Amateur at Ballantyne Country Club to take a two-shot lead over his closest competitor.

Kilgo got off to a strong start with birdies on his first two holes. He made the turn at 5 under and didn’t let up from there. An eagle on the 14th hole got him to 9 under with four holes to play and the “59 watch” was on. Kilgo finished his round with four straight pars but had a lot to be happy about from his round.

“I had quite a few putts go in today. You can’t shoot a number like that without making some putts,” Kilgo said. “I hit the tee ball well and I had it all working today. It was a special day.”

Joe Jaspers, a 52-year-old from Huntersville, N.C., was on pace to match and maybe even pass Kilgo in the morning wave. Jaspers, the 2014 North Carolina Mid-Am Champion, was 8 under after the 11th hole but a triple bogey on the 14th hole slowed things down. Jaspers fought back by making birdies at Nos. 16 and 18 to finish the day in second place with a 7-under 65.

Ryan Nagy of Raleigh and Timothy Driver of Holly Springs shot 67 to finish the day tied for third. Stephen Pippin of Pembroke had the shot of the day with a hole-in-one on the par-3 third hole.