Three-Way Tie In 96th Open Championship
David DeNunzio on the 18th green
Farmington, PA – After eighteen holes of play in the 96th Open Championship, three sit atop the leaderboard. Clayton Rotz, Joe Boros, & John Popeck all carded tournament lows of 66.
Boros, from Saxonburg, lead the field with an impressive bogey-free round, and also carding 6 birdies. Boros began his first nine with two pars on 10 (par 4, 438-yards) & 11(par 5, 634-yards), and then began to see red numbers. Boros birdied 12 , 16, & 18 and went out 3–under par. Boros’s back nine would be similar to his front, carding three birdies to end his first round at 6–under par.
Joe Boros
Sitting with Boros, is Washington, PA’s John Popeck. Popeck began his first round by notching a double bogey on his first hole, the par 4 10th. After a tough start and heading into a massive and dangerous par 5 (11th, 634-yards), Popeck started to pull his round together. Pars on 11, 12, & 13 set him up to go on a six hole streak of birdies, including the par 4, 15th that statistically was the third most difficult hole. Popeck would end his round with birdies on 5 & 8.
John Popeck
Rounding out the top three was Clayton Rotz. Rotz, fromChambersburg, PA, turned a front nine 3-under and began the far more difficult back nine. An errant second shot into the water on the 11th would force Rotz to hole an impressive up and down for par. Heading to 12, Rotz had some confidence and momentum, and accomplished what only a few players had done, birdie the par 3, 12th (166-yards & statistically most difficult hole). Rotz would take the lead on the 17th (par 3, 204-yards), and then promptly give it back on the 18th with a bogey.
Heading into the second round, seven players sit within three shots of the leaders. David DeNunzio is alone at 5–under, while three players are tied at both four and three under par.
The second round of play resumes Tuesday at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort at 7:30am, with the leaders teeing off at 8:10 am. Be sure to follow live scoring online at www.pagolf.org, or on twitter @PA_Golf.