Kilkenny’s Mark Power has given himself every chance of progressing to the last-64 of this year’s U.S. Amateur Championship after a solid opening effort at Ridgewood Country Club.
The Wake Forest star posted three bogeys and just one birdie on the 12th before signing for a two-over round of 73 on the 7,403-yard, par-71 course.
Power sits in a share of 52nd overnight and will move to the co-host Arcola Country Club for the second round of stroke play on Tuesday, a 7,251-yard, par-70 that’s been holding its own against the best amateurs in the world.
With firm conditions and the wind up, only 18 of the 312 players broke par on either venue on the opening day. Five of the day’s six best scores came at Ridgewood, where three-under 68s were posted by a group led by 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur champion Michael Thorbjornsen.
Fellow Bay Stater Chris Francoeur, of Amesbury, a 2022 University of Louisville graduate headed to Korn Ferry Tour Q-School later this month, matched that score.
Also shooting 68 at Ridgewood were Hazen Newman, Campbell Kremer and Luke Gutschewski, the son of two-time Korn Ferry Tour winner and PGA Tour veteran Scott Gutschewski.
Georgia Tech rising junior Christo Lamprecht, of South Africa, had the low round at Arcola, a 2-under 68.
Each of the 312 competitors will switch courses for Tuesday’s second round of stroke play, after which the low 64 scorers advance to match play. Should a playoff be necessary to determine the final spots in the draw, it will take place on Wednesday morning at Ridgewood.
- Full scoring HERE
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