After carding a first-round 66, Willy Walsh, a senior at Serra High School in San Mateo, holds a one-stroke lead over Tamalpais High School senior Niall Shield Donegan and Bay Area mid-am veteran Chris Goin, who matched 5-under rounds of 65. Donegan's Tam teammate, Ben Friedman, is just two back after opening with a 4-under 68.
Walsh, the son of longtime Serra football coach Patrick Walsh, had seven birdies and just one bogey on his Saturday card for an easy 66.
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"The greens were amazing and if you hit a good putt, chances are it was going to go in," said Walsh. "The course was a little soft due to the weather but in really good shape."
Donegan birdied two of his first three holes but was stalled at 1-under through 12. However, the Northwestern commit finished like a ball of fire with birdies on four of his last six holes for an inward nine of 31 and a round of 67.
Goin, of Alameda, reached the semifinals of last year's San Francisco City Championship. Today he used six birdies to offset his only bogey of the day on the 17th hole en route to a 67. Goin has had success at Baylands, where he won last year's Palo Alto City Championship.
Defending champ Dan O'Connor leads seniors with a 4-under 68. Sean Crowley of Littleton, Colorado is two shots back after posting 70.
The field may have to deal with Mother Nature in tomorrow's final round, as rain is expected in the Palo Alto area in the late morning. The tournament committee changed the start from tee times to an 8:30 am shotgun to give everyone the best chance of getting in before the rain.