Texas native Blake Hartford has lead at ZDGA Amateur, but locals lurk

CAMBRIDGE — ol’ Texas Tornado ripped although Guernsey County on Saturday in full pressure.

Houston-area native Blake Hartford, now dwelling in suburban Norwich, made three birdies in a five-hole stretch on the again 9 en path to a 3-under-par 69, which was ok for a one-shot lead within the forty fifth annual Zanesville District Golf Affiliation Novice match at Cambridge Nation Membership.

Hartford, who shot 2-under 34 on the again, leads Tri-Valley grad Michael Rosza (70) by one shot and Cambridge alum Ian Smith by two after a 71.

Gavin Gress, a 13-year-old from River View, is at 72, and West M and Ohio Northern product Teddy Loewendick at 73, adopted by Tom Crowley and Owen Lutz at 74. Lutz performs at Maysville.

Nineteen gamers shot within the 70s on a pleasing day with little wind, with 18 nonetheless inside 10 photographs of the lead coming into Sunday’s last round at Jaycees. Tee instances start at 11 a.m.

Hartford performed collegiately at Texas A&M-Commerce however at the moment lives in Norwich. He’s a member at Zanesville Nation Membership, however has expertise at Cambridge as effectively.

He performed with former champion J.J. Mickey and battle-tested Joe Lemon, probably the most tournament-tested gamers within the discipline.

“It was wonderful,” Hartford mentioned. “I undoubtedly have all kinds of occasions that I play in, some member-guest stuff with guys of all ability ranges, after which I play in some occasions with Tour-level guys. I get pleasure from enjoying with all ranges and I truly assume it’s extra enjoyable that manner. Our grouping immediately, we had 20s, 30s, 50s. It was very cool to play with that selection.”

Hartford made birdies on the par-5 1st and par-4 second, however performed the following seven 1-over to show at 1-under 35. He unleashed the fury on the flip, making birdies on the tenth, a brief par-5, then made two extra on the par-4 twelfth and par-4 14th, respectively.

He left feeling he achieved his main objective.

“I’ve performed this course an honest quantity,” Hartford mentioned. “There are some gettable holes and I simply wished to get it to a few underneath (par), simply wished to place myself the place I might go maintain doing what I’ve been doing the final couple of days.”

Hartford mentioned ball positioning and technique is the important thing at CCC, which performs within the 6,300-yard vary, however encompasses a multitude of undulation and loads of slender fairways.

“There are occasions if you get manner too aggressive and get your self in hassle off the tee,” Hartford mentioned. “I simply tried to maintain the ball within the fairway, hit loads of irons off the tee to offer myself probabilities.”

Gress nonetheless is not sufficiently old to play in highschool, however he has confirmed greater than able to competing in opposition to gamers a lot greater and extra skilled having made the ultimate minimize final yr.

He had a sizzling putter engaged on Saturday, making a pair of tough downhill thrillers on 16 and 18, respectively, to take care of his spot on the leaderboard.

He sank birdies on the par-4 second and par-5 ninth, then buried one other on the par-3 eleventh to get himself to 1-under by way of 13.

The putts on 16 and 18 have been par savers. He practically holed out his pitch shot on the sixteenth.

“My chipping was a bit of off at first however I lastly obtained it again,” Gress mentioned.

Gress mentioned he owes credit score to his dad, River View golf coach Chad Gress, for serving to him with the psychological points of enjoying in tournaments. Usually instances he his youthful brother, Colton, are grouped with adults in occasions just like the ZDGA Am.

“He makes positive I hit it straight makes positive I haven’t got a foul angle,” Gavin Gress mentioned.

On Saturday Gavin bested ZDGA Corridor of Famer and defending champion Brad Baker, a principal within the River View district, by three photographs. Baker had three bogeys on the entrance 9 and completed with 75, six photographs again of the lead.

“He says you simply must take it one shot at a time, you’ll be able to’t take into consideration the sphere,” Gavin Gress mentioned. “It’s important to deal with the course and hit your photographs. That is about it. If I can hit it straight sufficient, I am good.”

He made 4 putts within the 20-foot vary on Saturday, one thing he would like to see proceed into the second spherical. He has some familiarity with Jaycees, one other course with a lightweight structure that requires positioning off the tee to attain.

“I performed Jaycees earlier within the yr, so I am going to know what to do,” Gavin Gress mentioned. “Hopefully they do not set the pins like they did within the (2-man) greatest ball. How they performed final time was a bit of bit excessive.”

sblackbu@gannett.com; @SamBlackburnTR

ZDGA Leaderboard

Blake Hartford 35-34 — 69

Michael Rosza 35-35 — 70

Ian Smith 37-34 — 71

Gavin Gress 36-36 — 72

Teddy Loewendick 37-36 —73

Tom Crowley 37-37 — 74

Owen Lutz 38-36 — 74

Brad Baker 39-36 — 75

Justin Adair 38-38 — 76

Dalton Crowley 39-37 — 76

Hoyt Dodson 40-36 — 76

Joe Lemon 39-37 — 76

J.J. Mickey 39-38 — 77

A.J. Wilkin 40-37 — 77

Owen Carney 37-41 — 78

Noah Dever 42-36 — 78

Jake Moore 37-41 — 78

Jack Porter 38-40 — 78

Brian Pierce 41-38 — 79

Derek Graham 40-40 — 80

Ethan Miller 45-36 — 81

Charlie Peterson 40-41 — 81

Mike Gardner 41-41 — 82

Ben Harris 38-44 — 82

Mike Shook 40-44 — 84

Michael Falk 44-41 — 85

Lucas Huston 41-44 — 85

Kevin Terry 44-43 — 87

Ryan Sheppard 42-46 — 88

Austin Campbell 52-49 — 101

Matthew Johnson 55-53 — 108

Parker Erichsen 51-58 — 109