Brad Gray of Logansport GC was the first player to better
par today at Royal Hylands GC, and by five shots. Gray’s 5-under-par 66 gave him an early lead
at the IGA Public Links Championship.
Later this afternoon, Kyle Cox of Maplewood GC matched Gray’s 66 giving
him a good look at the title as well.
“I started off the day by hitting my tee shot in the hazard
on one,” Gray said. “I managed to make
par and from then on I played steady all day.
I had a great stretch of holes with a birdie on 12, a chip-in for eagle
on 13, and a birdie on 14 to take me to 6-under-par, which is my best score
ever in a tournament.”
Gray’s round consisted of five birdies coming on holes 2, 3,
8, 12, and 14, and an eagle on the par 5, 13th hole. He only carded two bogeys on holes 9 and 15.
“I’ve never won an Indiana Golf event before so it would be
really exciting,” Gray said. “I’d be a
champion!”
Cox, a resident of Fishers, grew up in Henry County and played
at Royal Hylands all throughout high school.
“I know the course really well,” Cox said. “It would be really cool to win in my home
county.”
Cox’s round consisted of seven birdies coming on holes 1, 2, 5,
11, 13, 14, and 18. Like Gray, he also
only had two bogeys today, which came on holes 4 and 15.
“I kept it out of trouble today,” Cox said. ” I had around 15 to 16 realistic birdie
chances and was able to convert seven.
My wedge game was very good today.”
Richmond’s Skip Runnels will join Gray and Cox in the final
group tomorrow. Runnels fired a
3-under-par 68 today and is just two shots back.
Mooresville’s Rylan Porter also shot 68 today, with an impressive
5-under-par 30 on the front nine.