Sisk returns home from Ireland for share of California Am lead

Just days removed from a trip to the quarterfinals at the Amateur Championship in Portmarnock (Ireland) Golf Club, Cameron Sisk is back in his home state and at the top of the California Amateur leaderboard. The Arizona State player opened with 7-under 65 at Monterey Peninsula Country Club’s Shore Course and shares the first-round lead with Jamie Cheatham.

Sisk, of El Cajon, Calif., didn’t have a bogey on his card on Monday. He opened with four straight birdies, added another at No. 6, then had two more on his back nine to get to 7 under.

Sisk ended his college season with a tie for second at the NCAA regional at Stanford Golf Course.

As for Cheatham, a Rancho Santa Fe resident who plays for Cal, his opening 65 included eight birdies with a bogey thrown in at No. 4. Cheatham had to birdie the final hole to stay tied with Sisk atop the leaderboard.

Thomas Hutchison of San Jose is solo third with a 6-under 66. The UC Davis player also traveled to Portmarnock last week, but only made it as far as the Round of 32.

Sean Yu, who plays for San Jost State, and Josh McCollum, who plays for Chico State, are tied for fifth.

Jason Anthony had a strong start to the month with back-to-back victories at the Billy Bell Cup at the NCGA Mid-Amateur and after Monday, was tied for sixth at 3 under.

Devon Bling, the U.S. Amateur runner-up who played the U.S. Open earlier this month, is one shot behind Anthony and part of an eight-man tie for ninth.

Defending champion Bobby Bucey will have to make up some ground on Tuesday to get back inside the top 32 and earn a spot on the match-play bracket. Bucey opened with 3-over 75 on the Shore Course and is tied for 57th.