University Place, Wash. – Patrick Reed, a member of Augusta State’s NCAA Division I Men’s national championship team, carded a 3-under-par 68 at Chambers Bay to head a group of four golfers who share the lead at the midway point of the first round of stroke play at the 2010 U.S. Amateur Championship.
Reed, 20, of Augusta, Ga., who posted three birdies and an eagle for his 3-under-par score, was a semifinalist at the 2008 U.S. Amateur. He holed an 8-iron shot on the par-4 14th hole from 180 yards.
I had pretty good momentum after (the eagle), Reed said. I only had one or two bad swings today and only one of them hurt me. If you play solid, you can shoot pretty low. Sixty-eight out here is pretty low. There are not a lot of birdie holes out here. I was able to take advantage of the par 5s, which is a big key.
Reed relied on putting to gain the lead over the 156 players in the morning wave of starting times playing at the 7,742-yard, par-71 Chambers Bay course.
I putted really well today, said the rising college senior. I rolled in a couple of 15-footers for birdie and I never got myself where I missed a putt outside of 6 feet.
University of Washington player Nick Taylor, 22, of Canada, Max Homa, 19, of Valencia, Calif., and Richard Werenski, 18, of South Hadley, Mass., all shot 3-under-par 69 at The Home Course (7,420-yards, par-72).
Taylor, who was the low amateur at the 2009 U.S. Open and the runner-up at the 2009 U.S. Amateur Public Links, logged four birdies and one bogey.