PHOTO GALLERY | High-schooler Tyler Watts battles through delay, takes one stroke lead into final round of Sunnehanna Amateur
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Tyler Watts had built some momentum with a pair of birdie putts when rain and the threat of lightning halted play early in his third round of the 84th Sunnehanna Amateur Tournament for Champions.
The 17-year-old from Huntsville, Alabama, spent the next hour and 15 minutes talking to friends and passing the time at the Sunnehanna Country Club.
When play resumed, the left-handed Watts eventually regained his form, shooting a 6-under 64 to lead by one stroke – 13-under-par 197 entering Saturday’s final round.
PHOTO GALLERY | Sunnehanna Amateur 3rd round
“I hit the ball great. Putted well,” said Watts, a rising high school senior. “The rain delay in the middle was kind of deflating a little bit because I got off to a good start. I birdied 2 and 3, and then a rain delay on 4.
“It took me a few holes to get my wings back under me and started playing really solid after that. (Nos.) 4 and 5 were a little sketchy, but I got a birdie on 6 and got my wings back under me.”
Watts leads Ryan Voois by a stroke. Playing in the same group as Watts, the University of Illinois golfer shot 5-under 65 Friday and is 12-under 198 for second place.
University of Utah’s Gabriel Palacios, of Guatemala City, is tied for third at 11-under after scorching the back nine with a pair of eagles and two birdies. After shooting even par on the front nine, Palacios shot 6-under 29 on the back.
“I hit the ball great on the front nine,” Palacios said. “I just couldn’t get anything going with the putter. I left myself with a couple of 20-footers. The speed was a little off and I couldn’t get that going.
“Then on the back nine, I hit a great shot into 11 and that kind of sparked a good trend of holes. I made an eagle there and then drained the long one on 12. I went off from there.”
Palacios made eagle on 11 and 15, both par 5s. He birdied 12 and 13.
Also tied for third at 11-under is Cole Rueck, a Boise State University player who shot a 4-under 66 Friday.
Two players blistered the course at 7-under 63 in the third round and are tied for fifth at 10-under 200.
Liberty University’s Joshua Ryan opened with three birdies and closed the front nine with a pair of birdies to shoot 5-under 30, when the sirens rang to halt play.
After play resumed, Ryan made birdie putts on the par-5 No. 15 and the final hole during a bogey-free round.
University of Georgia signee John Daniel Culbreth made four birdies on the front and three more on the back to sit at 10-under through three rounds.
A three-way tie for seven place at 9-under 201 included Garrett Endicott (5-under 65 on Friday), Ryan Ford (4-under 66) and Mateo Pulcini (3-under 67).
The 101-player field was cut to 63 who sit at even par or better entering Saturday’s final round. Due to expected rain, the first tee time has been moved to 7:30 a.m., with split tees on 1 and 10.
Through three rounds, 57 players have shot under par.
Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at (814) 532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.
