PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (April 25, 2011) -- Joshua Stone of Swenson Park GC has a three-shot lead after the first round of the 46th Annual NCGA Public Links Championship. Stone fired a 3-under 69 at Spyglass Hill on Monday giving him a solid lead on the rest of the field.
His closest competition is Matt Cohn alone in second after an even-par 72. Close behind in a tie for third includes two-time public links winner and defending -champion Scott Hardy at 1-over after 18 holes of play. Also in contention is the perennial Casey Boyns at 2-over, who has won this event four times (’81, ’83, ’87, and ’96), the most of any player.
Stone had a scorecard flooded with seven birdies, three on the front (1, 7 and 8), and four on the back (10, 11, 16 and 17). His 69 could have been much lower if it weren’t for a couple of miscues during his back nine. Stone who started his round off of the 10th tee, came to fourth hole at 4-under par when he then double-bogeyed the par 4 and bogeyed the fifth dropping him back at 1-under through 15 holes. He rallied though by birdying 7 and 8 to finish at 3-under.
Leading the President’s division is Dale Richards, who shot a 5-under net 67. In the Director’s division there is a two-way tie for first at 5-under net 67, those players are Ahmed Shah and Joyce Glatt.
The final round of the championship will be tomorrow at Spyglass Hill.
