Stocker Cup: Brad Wilder up one through first round

CARMEL, Calif. — Kentucky's Brad Wilder leads by a stroke over Jerry Ledzinski, and by two over the defending champion Brady Exber, at the Stocker Cup Invitational through the opening round.

After a year absence from The Preserve Golf Club, the tournament has returned to its regularly hosted site in the hills above Carmel. Wilder, who reached the semifinals at the 2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur, birdied three of his last four holes to post his solid first-round score.

Ledzinski, of Carmel, had a couple birdies of his own down the stretch to card 69, while Exber overcame two mid-round bogeys to shoot 70.

Craig Doell is the only other player under par, at 71, while five players sit tied for fifth place at 72.

TEAM GROSS EVENT

The second-place holder Ledzinski, who is paired up with AmateurGolf.com founder Pete Wlodkowski, are on top in the team portion of the competition. They best- balled 6-under par 66 and are a stroke ahead of Wilder and his partner Nick Fezcko.

Behind them is a four-way tie for third place at 4- under, including the reigning individual winner Exber and his partner Dusty Allen, who both hail from TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. Craig Doell and Erik Stocker, as well as Jason and Jack Anthony are also in after 18 holes at 68. Stocker is the son of Pete Stocker, the tournament's name sake.

TEAM NET EVENT

Tied at 64 are the teams of Brad Wilder and Fezcko and Jerry Ledzinski and Pete Wlodkowski. The are trailed by a pack of 66s that includes TPC Summerlin members Brady Exber (the 2014 individual winner) and his partner Dusty Allen, a former Major League Baseball player. Also at 66 are father and son team Jason and Jack Anthony, Craig Doell and Erik Stocker, as well as 2015 USA Walker Cup team member Mike McCoy of Iowa and his partner Mike Machette of Piedmont, California, a former professional tennis player.

One notable "B Player" performance was by Andrew Doll of the Olympic Club. Doll, a 10 handicapper, recorded an amazing 5 natural birdies including one on the hole that drove a few players to tears, the 4th. With a pin placement on the right edge of the green's top tier, and surfaces running at 12-13 on the stimp, Doll cooly rolled in a 24 foot putt for birdie, with 3 feet of break.