Southeastern Amateur: Defending champion Grant Hirschman up by five

COLUMBUS, Ga. — Usually, players find following up an exceptionally low round with another good score the next day to be a difficult task. But when you are the defending champion, maybe that makes it easier? University of Oklahoma sophomore, who along with second-round leader Carter Page tied the Country Club of Columbus course record of 62 on Thursday, posted eight-under 63 in the third round. He'll now head to the final day with a five-shot lead, and a chance to win the Southeastern Amateur for the second straight year. "This is probably my first time getting a run like this going,” Hirschman told the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. "I'm seeing a lot of putts go in, and I'm making a lot of birdies. I wasn't even ever thinking about the course record, but I thought about it on the last fairway and was like, 'Man, I might have a chance.'" Hirschman used a string of five-straight birdies on holes 1 through 5 to fuel his second-round, record-tying score, and did the same on Friday. He birdied five holes in a row again, this time 7 through 11, en route to 63. Page, a North Carolina State senior, held a one-stroke lead over Hirschman by virtue of his better opening round, and even had an opportunity to break the course record on Thursday but missed a six-foot par putt on 18. In the third round, Page shot two-under 69 and had only one blemish — a double-bogey on the par-4 3rd hole. Page's grip on second place is by two over Georgia Tech golfer Vince Whaley, whose 66 in the third round was his best of the tournament thus far. First-round leader, College of Charleston golfer John Jonas, climbed back inside of the top-five with a 67 in his third round, but still sits eight shots back of the defending champion. ABOUT THE CLUB The Club was originally founded in 1909. The 18-hole golf course was completed by Donald Ross in 1925 and was updated by him again in 1938. The "triple C" as it known by its members possesses a rich golfing pedigree, playing as annual host to the prestigious Southeastern Amateur Championship. The club is also home to the Fred Haskins Award, given to the best male collegiate golfer each year. Fred Haskins, a close friend of Bobby Jones and long time head golf professional at CCC, was quite an accomplished golfer and teacher during the middle of the twentieth century. As a tribute to his teaching abilities, his young pupils went on to win more than 150 championships.