Starzinski, Pedersen lead Saguaro Am after Round 1

MARICOPA, Ariz. (Jan. 2, 2018) – Dan Starzinski of Laramie, Wyo., and Jacob Pedersen of Shorewood, Minn., each shot 4-under 68 in the first round of the Saguaro Amateur at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes. They ended the day as co-leaders even though a handful of players in the field weren’t able to finish the first round on Wednesday.

Starzinski is a Phoenix native who plays college golf at the University of Wyoming. Pedersen, meanwhile, is a high school senior.

A heavy frost delayed the start of the first round until 10:00 a.m. local time. Temperatures just outside of Phoenix dipped into the mid 20s overnight and were expected to get there again after Day 1. While the high in Maricopa was only 51 degrees, sunshine greeted participants most of the day.

The players remaining will have a morning restart and the second round will commence shortly thereafter.

Behind the leaders, Sean Carlon of Albuquerque, N.M., and Koichiro Ishika of Tempe, Ariz., are tied for third after rounds of 3-under 69. Four more players had 2-under 70, including mid-amateur Jacob Koppenberg of Bellingham, Wash.

The closest player to the top of the leaderboard with holes still to finish in the first round is Shane Muldowney, who is even par and T-14 after 16 holes.