CONTACT: Bob Thomas (604) 688-7711, Room 2601 (eves); (604) 922-9331 (days)
Internet: http://www.pacificcoastamateur.com/
E-mail: BobTatFORE@aol.com
LEPP
LEADS PACIFIC COAST AMATEUR BY SIX SHOTS AFTER THIRD ROUND
West Vancouver, British Columbia, August 7 -- James Lepp of Abbotsford, B.C., the hottest golfer -- professional or amateur -- playing right now, fired a 4-under-par 66 today at Capilano Golf & Country Club and takes a six shot-lead into the final round of the 37th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship tomorrow.
And he’s still not happy with the way he’s playing.
The 19-year-old Lepp, who two weeks ago won his second consecutive BC Amateur and last week won the Canadian Tour’s Greater Vancouver Classic by five shots with a 19-under-par total, has put together rounds of 68-62-66, 14 under par over the venerable Stanley Thompson-designed layout. He is 45 under par for his last 11 rounds.
Lepp began the day with a six-shot lead and maintained that margin, but now it’s over 21-year-old Michael Putnam of Tacoma, WA, whose 6-under-par 64 tied the old course record that Lepp broke yesterday with his 62. Putnam is at 202, 8 under par, after rounds of 69-69-64.
Tied for third at 204 are last week’s Western Amateur winner Chris Botsford of Pasadena, CA, and Craig Doell of Victoria, BC, the lone mid-amateur in the top 10, who slipped from second place yesterday despite shooting a 2-under-par 68 today.
“It was a pretty simple round,” said Lepp, who posted five birdies and only one bogey (just his second bogey in the last 44 holes). “I didn’t play much differently from yesterday, but I didn’t sink those two monster putts like I did yesterday.
“I would like to be more confident over the ball, especially with my tee shots,” continued Lepp. “I missed a lot of fairways with my drives today but my iron play saved me.” Two of Lepp’s five birdies came on putts of 12 and 15 feet, two on putts of six and eight feet and the fifth was a two-putt birdie after he reached the green of the par-5 third hole in two shots.
His only bogey came on the 245-yard, par-three 16th hole when his 2-iron tee shot into a breeze came up short of the green and he couldn’t get it up and down. “I didn’t want to hit 5-wood there but it was into the wind and I just didn’t enough club,” said Lepp afterwards.
In tomorrow’s grouping (which goes off at noon), Lepp will be paired with two other collegians, Botsford of the University of Southern California, who shot 66 today, and Putnam of Pepperdine, who had five birdies an eagle and just one bogey en route to his 64 today. Botsford could have crept closer to the lead but he bogied the 15th and 16th holes to fall eight shots off the pace.
“James will be tough to catch tomorrow,” said Botsford, who is hoping a high finish will sew up a berth on the U.S. Walker Cup squad. “All I can do is play one shot at a time and not think about what he’s doing.”
As if things weren’t tough enough, tomorrow’s weather forecast is for cloudy skies, which suits Lepp just fine. “I love playing in cloudy weather,” he said yesterday after setting the course record.
RESULTS:
37th
Pacific Coast Amateur Championship
at Capilano Golf & Country Club; West Vancouver, British Columbia
6,618 yards; par 70
54-hole results:
196 -- James Lepp, Abbotsford, BC, 68-62-66.
202 -- Michael Putnam, Tacoma, WA, 69-69-64.
204 -- Chris Botsford, Pasadena, CA, 70-68-66; Craig Doell, Victoria, BC, 69-67-68.
206 -- Roy Moon, North Hills, CA, 71-66-69.
207 -- David Oh, Cerritos, CA, 73-65-69.
208 -- Mike Sica, La Quinta, CA, 71-67-70; Lindsay Bernakevitch, Vancouver, 70-71-67.
209 -- Marc Rhoades, McCall, ID, 70-71-68; Luke Swilor, Sandy, UT, 70-69-70; Michael Wilson, Pacific Grove, CA, 72-67-70.
210 -- Dan Potter, Hayden Lake, ID, 73-71-66; Peter Tomasulo, Long Beach, CA, 70-69-71.
211 -- Spencer Levin, Elk Grove, CA, 71-75-65; Pete Stone, Bountiful, UT, 71-74-66; Ben Hayes, Paradise Valley, AZ, 69-70-72.
212 -- Brien Davis, Las Vegas, NV, 75-70-67; John Ellis, San Jose, CA, 74-68-70; Lee Curry, Kemptville, ONT, 72-66-74; Alex Prugh, Spokane, WA, 69-71-72; Parker McLachlin, Honolulu, HI, 70-69-73; Dan Swanson, Surrey, BC, 68-71-73; J.J. Jakovac, Napa, CA, 68-69-75.
213 -- Brady Exber, Las Vegas, NV, 68-70-75; Jim Strickland, Scottsdale, AZ, 68-73-72; Brock MacKenzie, Yakima, WA, 69-70-74; John Merrick, Long Beach, CA, 68-69-76.
214 -- Reid Hatley, Spokane, WA, 71-73-70; Alex Stamey, Mill Creek, WA, 72-71-71; Rusty Kennedy, Phoenix, AZ, 68-70-76; Ian Hagen, Reno, NV, 70-69-75; Travis Johnson, Bellflower, CA, 70-69-75.
215 –- Brady Stockton, San Ramon, CA, 75-72-68; Chris Baryla, El Paso, TX, 68-74-73; Chris MacDougall, Vancouver, BC, 72-70-73; Jeff Wilson, Fairfield, CA, 70-71-74; Julien Trudeau, Montreal, QB, 70-71-74.
216 -- John Pate, Santa Barbara, CA, 73-75-68; Mike Mezei, Lethbridge, ALB, 73-69-74.
217 -- Kane Webber, Boulder, CO, 75-74-68; Andrew Lovas, White Rock, BC, 73-73-71; Seann Harlingten, Rancho Mirage, CA, 73-71-73; Zack Miller, San Rafael, CA, 72-70-75.
218 -- Charlie Beljan, Mesa, AZ, 71-75-72; Frank Van Dornick, Camrose, ALB, 71-74-73; Erik Hanson, Kirkland, WA, 70-74-74; Greg Puga, Los Angeles, CA, 73-71-74; Elliott Wainwright, Hillsborough, CA, 66-76-76.
219 -- Ryan Moore, Puyallup, WA, 73-78-68; Ryan Vallely, Medicine Hat, ALB, 70-76-73; Chris Maletis, Portland, OR, 72-73-74; Brian Hughes, Portland, OR, 69-76-74; Ashdon Woods, Lander, WY, 73-72-74.
220 -- J.C. Deacon, Unionville, ONT, 67-79-74; James Love, Calgary, ALB, 69-78-73; Derek Tolan, Highlands Ranch, CO, 72-74-74; Jason Monteleone, Vancouver, BC, 71-74-75; Chen-Chih Chiang, Taipei, ROC, 75-69-76; Ryan Fery, Beaverton, OR, 73-70-77.
221 -- Patrick Hanlon, Las Cruces, NM, 74-75-72; Corey Prugh, Spokane, WA, 73-73-75; George Zahringer, New York, NY, 74-69-78.
222 -- Shih-Kai Lo, Taipei, ROC, 74-77-71; Iain MacDonald, Fullerton, CA, 76-77-69; Cullen Brasfield, Reno, NV, 77-73-72; Nico Bollini, Yorba Linda, 73-75-74.
223 -- Steve Sheehan, Reno, NV, 74-73-76.
224 -- Rick DeWitt, Arvada, CO, 77-72-75.
225 -- Brad Mombert, Bend, OR, 77-79-69; David Nelson, Reno, NV, 80-74-71; Shawn Wills, Broomfield, CO, 74-79-72; Tyler Symons, Albuquerque, NM, 78-72-75.
226 -- Kurt Kowaluk, Liveley, ONT, 73-77-76; Tung-Hung Hsieh, Taipei, ROC, 73-75-78.
229 -- Travis Whisman, Reno, NV, 79-76-74.
230 -- Aaron Curtis, Twin Falls, ID, 76-75-79.
231 -- Jake Grodzinsky, Cornville, AZ, 79-74-78; Matthew Ion Young, Burlington, ONT, 74-79-78; Jay Poletiek, Portland, OR, 73-77-81; Gregg Lavoie, Pasco, CA, 72-78-81; Erik Nielsen, Tucson, AZ, 77-73-81.
234 -- Craig Reasoner, Casper, WY, 75-84-75.
235 -- Niel King, Gillette, WY, 76-86-73.
236 -- Dale Goehring, Calgary, ALB, 76-75-85.
237 -- Anton Salome, Socorro, NM, 77-82-78.
239 -- Carl Jensen, Salt Lake City, UT, 77-79-83.
242 -- Dana Wade, Las Vegas, NV, 85-79-78.
DQ -- Everett Grimes, II, Nampa, ID, 73-74-DQ (Rule 6-6d/signed for an incorrect score).
WD -- Mark Thaxton, Tigard, OR, 76-WD; Scott McGihon, Bermuda Dunes, CA, 76-WD.
NOTE:
The tournament concludes tomorrow (Friday).
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