Saguaro Amateur: Christopherson, Graf tied with one round to go

Caden Christopherson (Chandler, AZ) and Carter Graf (Canada) are tied for the lead through 36 holes at the 7th Saguaro Amateur at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club.

Christopherson, a local resident from nearby Chandler, shot the low round of the day—a 6-under par 66. Carter Graf, an NC State golfer, shot a 5-under par 67 to forge a two-way tie for the lead at 7-under par through two rounds.

The pairing leads by one over Hunter Epson of Long Beach, California. 2018 Champion Blake Hathcoat, the first round co-leader, is tied for fourth place with two others two shots back of the lead. In all there are ten players within three shots of the co-lead and sixteen within four shots.

Saturday’s final round is shaping up to be a shootout for the Saguaro Amateur and the Troon Saguaro Amateur Series Player of the Year race.

Course is looking pure as always! The staff is the best!! https://t.co/6VV6zYx7cC

— SaguaroAmateurSeries (@SaguaroAmSeries) January 2, 2020

DAY ONE RECAP

Blake Hathcoat (Fresno, CA), and Jackson Lake (Clovis, CA) co-lead the 2020 Saguaro Amateur through 18 holes at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa, Ariz. Both shot 5-under par 67 on the 7,588 yard championship course.

Hathcoat is a senior at St. Mary’s, as well as the 2018 Saguaro Amateur Champion, and Lake is a freshman on the Oregon State golf team.

In a condensed leaderboard, five players—Chase Carlson (Tacoma, WA), Josh McCollum (Upland, CA), Nathan Cogswell (Kent, WA), Austin Fox (Folsom, CA) and Logan Pate (Richmond, TX) all shot 4-under 68s to sit a shot back of the leaders. Another shot back at 3-under par—2 shots from the lead—is a group of five players.