Good start
- Updated: March 22, 2019
Donoho’s LeCroy, White Plains lead Glencoe Invitational after opening round
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
SILVER LAKES — Usually a three putt on the opening green of the day would cause a player to wage war with his flat stick the rest of the day, or at least doubt themselves when they got on the green.
But Jacob LeCroy has been playing too good for too long this soggy winter – “the best golf of my life the past three months,” he said — to let any of that get to him.
Taking the approach there was still plenty of golf to play, the Donoho senior wound up shooting 3-under-par 69 to lead the medalist race after Friday’s opening round of the 10th annual Glencoe Boys Invitational.
The South Alabama signee leads the field by three shots. Jaceton Murray of Russellville is second after an even-par round. White Plains leads Russellville by four in the team race after posting 308.
Actually, LeCroy, a flagstick-out kind of putter, had four three-putts in the round from various distances so when he thinks how low he might’ve gone without them he could only laugh. He still made par with that first one at Mindbreaker 1 (a par-5), so it didn’t really cost him, but the other three – at Mindbreaker 7 and 8, and Backbreaker 2 – produced bogeys. Cut all of them out and it’s a 65.
“That’s the best I’ve ever played having four three-putts,” he said. “I played good. Take those away, I’m not a mathematician but … that’s really good playing.”
It’s not that he was putting bad. The greens at Silver Lakes were particularly fast this day.
“I find it unbelievable I had four three-putts today (and still shot 69),” he said. “I didn’t get mad. I was playing golf, out there laughing the whole time. Just go on to the next hole. Some days you’ve got to take what the course gives you; there ain’t nothing you can do.”
In the team race, White Plains counted all four scores in the 70s, led by Gage Miller (74) and Wesley Jenkins (77). Both sophomores had strong finishes to bring the Wildcats to the top.
Miller was 4-over after six holes and made four birdies over his last 12 holes. Jenkins was 8-over through 14 and birdied three of his last four holes (Backbreaker 6, 7 and 8).
“For Gage, on a day like today, in this wind, that’s very, very impressive,” White Plains coach Chris Randall said. “He thrives under pressure. We told him the guys ahead of him were struggling a little bit and we were really going to need him and he took it to another level and played so steady.”
The Wildcats also counted a 78 from sophomore Kenny Okins and a 79 from senior Gavin Burrage.
“For three sophomores to be our three leaders today that bodes well for the future,” Randall said. “To grind it out today was impressive for those guys.”
NOTES: This was LeCroy’s first tournament round of the season. In two previous nine-hole matches he shot even par at Highland Park GC and 3-under at Anniston CC … He’ll have a busy day Saturday. After playing in the final round at Silver Lakes he and Donoho teammate Harrison Hughston are heading to Cane Creek to play in its invitational. “I just like playing golf, having fun, trying to get as good as possible,” he said. … LeCroy confirmed his summer plans will cause him to miss defending his ACC Invitational title and playing in the State Am … Russellville’s Murray started his round with three 3s and was 3-under after five holes, but was back even after a double on Backbreaker 7 and bogey on 8. He birdied both par-3s on the Mindbreaker 9, but bogeyed the hole that followed each … Glencoe’s Brock McNeely is third after a 73. He went out in 4-under on the Backbreaker side, but was 5-over on the Mindbreaker 9 … Cedar Bluff’s Mark Sawyer is T7 after a 77. His brother Nick is T11 at 78.
GLENCOE INVITATIONAL
At Silver Lakes (Mindbreaker-Backbreaker)
First-round scores
Team scores
White Plains Blue 308
Russellville 312
Northridge Black 323
Arab 332
Randolph 336
Glencoe 346
Donoho 361
Northridge Blue 361
Hokes Bluff 366
Briarwood Christian 369
Muscle Shoals 377
Pell City 381
White Plains White 384
Lauderdale County 395
Lawrence County 425
Top 25 Individuals
Jacob LeCroy, Donoho 36-33—69
Jaceton Murray, Russellville 36-36—72
Brock McNeely, Glencoe 41-32—73
Gage Miller, White Plains Blue 39-35—74
Eric Boutwell, Russellville 75
Charles Warren, Randolph 75
Wesley Jenkins, White Plains Blue 77
Mark Sawyer, Cedar Bluff 77
Matthew Madden, Northridge Black 77
Tanner Wilder, Pell City 77
Chris Kobringer, Randolph 78
Kenny Okins, White Plains Blue 78
Austin Burnham, Pell City 78
Nick Sawyer, Cedar Bluff 78
Trey Cox, Northridge Black 78
Gavin Burrage, White Plains Blue 79
Brayden Bendall, Russellville 79
James Johnson, Arab 79
Andrew Miller, White Plains Blue 80
Josh Darracott, Lauderdale County 80
Brooks Malone, Arab 81
Justin Graham, Glencoe 82
Harrison Hughston, Donoho 83
Jackson Case, Northridge Black 84
Robert Cooper, Northridge Black 84
Ty Dutton, Athens Bible 84
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