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McKinney golfer falls off pace in second round of Junior Nelson
FROM STAFF REPORTS
McKinney’s Branson Davis headed to the clubhouse Monday at Lakewood Country Club as the sole leader of the HP Byron Nelson Junior Championship. Twenty-four hours later he was fighting to remain relevant.
After getting off to a jackrabbit start in the 10th annual tournament, Davis slipped from the top of the pack after struggling in the second round to maintain the form he displayed a day earlier. His one-under 70 over the first 18 holes n Davis was the only golfer in the 78-player field to crack par n was washed away Tuesday after the 14-year-old fired a five-over 77 to fall well off the pace of the current leaders.
Davis, set to graduate in 2013, is tied for 15th with a group that includes six other players. His two-round score of 147 (+6) is 13 strokes back of leader Jordan Spieth of Dallas, the reigning champion.
After what he called a “disappointing” opening round, Spieth can surely delight in the new competitive course record he set.
Spieth birdied the second hole and caught fire near the turn, birdying 8, 9 10 and then four of the final seven holes on the course. It was a far cry from Round 1 when he parred all 18 holes.
Davis didn’t have the same good fortune. His second round got off to an ominous start when he bogeyed the first four holes. Seven pars followed before his first birdie of the round on No. 12, but he proceeded to bogey four of the final six holes.
Davis got off to a great start Monday, carding four birdies and three bogeys on his way to the top score. Entering Tuesday’s action, he led a group of four players by one stroke. Eight others were tied at two back.
Conducted by the Legends Junior Tour, the HP Byron Nelson Junior Championship features 78 boys, ages 12-18, from Texas and Mexico. The tournament was first held in 2001 and has quickly become the top invitational junior event in Texas. The par-71 Lakewood CC is playing 6,685 yards.
Davis began the tournament with a bogey on the par-4, 10th hole but followed that up with nine straight pars. Birdies on holes 2, 5 and 6 got him to two-under par before bogeys on 7 and 8 brought him back to even par. A birdie on the par-5 ninth hole left him at one-under for his round.
Earlier this year, the rising junior star won the 14 & under division at the Easter Shootout. He also finished third at the Bluebonnet Championship in May.
Other locals in the mix
Despite recording more bogeys than birdies in both rounds so far, Benjamin Bankhead of McKinney has been consistent on the course.
After notching a one-over 73 on Monday, Bankhead, 17, came back Tuesday with a round of 74. He is currently tied at five over with the group that includes Davis.
Bankhead tallied three birdies in the second round, but also struggled at times, notching four bogeys and one double bogey.
Frisco Wakeland junior Jack Lempke, like Davis, had a mostly regrettable second round. Lempke was tied for sixth after Day 1, but came apart Tuesday, rolling out four bogeys, three double bogeys and a triple bogey. Lempke, a former UIL state qualifier, is tied for 51st at 13-over following the 83.
Frisco High’s Nick Holditch is tied for 63rd at +17, while teammate Elliott Thompson is five strokes better at 154 for the tournament.
Plano’s William Zalatoris, the youngest competitor in the field, is still within striking distance of the leaders. Zalatoris, 12, is three-over par entering Wednesday’s final round.
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