Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009

Area golf briefs: Locals tackling PGA qualifying

CALABASH, N.C. -- Zack Byrd of Murrells Inlet is tied for 32nd at Hombre Golf Club in Panama City, Fla., and Jeremy Pope of Pawleys Island is tied for 58th at Callaway Gardens' Mountain View Course in Pine Mountain, Ga., after the first round at their second stage sites in the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament. The top 20 and ties at each site after four rounds advance to the Q-School finals.

Byrd shot a 2-under-par 70 with birdies on his final two holes, and Pope shot a 3-over 74 after recovering from a double bogey on his opening hole that contributed to a 4-over start through five holes. Former Grand Strand resident Kris Blanks of Frederick, Md., shot a 71 at Hombre Golf Club and is tied for 28th.

Pro golf

Brian Bergstol of Mt. Bethel, Pa., shot a 5-under-par 67 Wednesday at the 7,054-yard Meadowlands Golf Club to take a one-shot lead over Tony Parrish of North Myrtle Beach and two other players into today's final round of an NGA Hooter Tour Carolina Winter Series event. Bergstol is at 7-under 137, and Yoshio Yamamoto of Myrtle Beach and Matthew Bryant of Columbia are tied at 138 with Parrish, who shot an even-par 72 in Wednesday's second round.

Patrick Lundy of Little River is tied for fifth at 69-70-139, Grande Dunes member Marshall Pickett of Wilmington, N.C., is tied for ninth at 68-73141, Ryan Tyndall of Murrells Inlet (73-70) and Derek Watson of Murrells Inlet (69-74) are tied with Baxter Culler of Hartsville in 14th at 143, and Kellen Altman of Myrtle Beach made the cut to the low 17 players and ties at even-par 73-71-144.

Missing the cut were Matt Veltman of Myrtle Beach at 75-731-48, Jeremy Doyle of Myrtle Beach at 75-75-150 and Bryan Buie of North Myrtle Beach at 76-74-150.