Knapp, Onesi tied for First Round lead in Web.com Tour Qualifier at Dayton Valley
Submitted by editor on Wed, 10/11/2017 - 10:40am
DAYTON — Under perfect, calm fall conditions Jake Knapp of Costa Mesa, Calif. and Eric Onesi of Bear, Del. fired 7-under par 65 to share the first-round lead in Stage One Web.com Tour Qualifying at Dayton Valley Golf Club.
Chad McGann of St. Simons Island, Ga. was in solo third with an opening 6-under 66. Australian Cameron Davis headed a group of five players tied for fourth spot with 5-under 67. Also in fourth are Jared Sawada, Mililani, Hi., Luke McClellan, Bluffton, S.C., Jake Sarnoff, Manhattan Beach, Calif. and Eddie Olson of Aptos, Calif.
Local Jordan Wright from Incline Village, playing in his first Web.com Tour Qualifying tournament, fired a 2-under 70 and is tied for 20th place. That position would be right on the qualifying number if the tournament ended today as the low 22 scores and ties will advance to one of five Second Stage Qualifiers.
Former Nevada Wolf Pack golfer Kevin Lucas of Folsom, Calif. shot 1-under 71 and is in a 13-way tie for 25thplace just one shot off the qualifying pace.
Co-leader Knapp birdied his first three holes and had nine birdies on the round along with two bogeys on holes Nos. 5 and 6 to reach 7-under. “I didn’t really hit it close all day, but the putter was rolling it very well,” said Knapp, a former UCLA star making his third consecutive start at Dayton. “I am happy with the way I started to grind out a low score, because with the weather forecast a good score may move to 3-under, especially if the wind kicks-up.”
Knapp went on to say that anything in double digits under par will be in the top five low scores after 72-holes if windy conditions come up as predicted.
Davis played in last year’s Dayton Q-school as an amateur to test U.S. waters to see where his golf career may take him. He had two more very high finishes in world amateur events and turned professional in late October before Second Stage Q-school where he failed to advance.
He played on the PGA Mackenzie Tour Canada this season. “I didn’t play that great in Canada, but I learned a lot of things that I didn’t think I needed to know,” said the 23-year old Aussie. “It was a great experience and I think I am better prepared for this grind.”
Davis had a four-putt double bogey on the par 3 No. 6 to go along with seven birdies. “Except for that (four-putt) I’m happy with the way I played today because when the wind is not up this course is ‘gettable’. Now I just have to keep on going as low as I can,” he concluded.
Q-school rookie Wright started out on the back nine with back-to-back birdies and made the turn at 4-under. Then the wheels came off a bit when he hit his tee shot out of bounds on the first hole and made double-bogey..
“I had a rough last nine, I never really felt great over the ball all day,” said the 2011 NIAA 2A State Champion as a junior at Incline High. “I think it was some nerves because I had a hard time pulling the trigger all day especially off the tee.
“Fortunately, I made some putts and got up and down a lot including a chip-in for birdie on No. 6,” said Wright who played college golf at Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo. “I’m going to the range to hit some balls to get my confidence back and I think I’ll have it tuned-in for the rest of the tournament.”
More than one-half of the 70 players in the field were under par with 37 in red figures and another 10 shot even par 72. The field had an under-par overall opening round scoring average of 71.70. Both stats are almost identical to last year’s first round that was one of the lowest in Dayton Q-school history.
The 22 low scores and ties after Friday’s final round of the 72-hole tournament will advance to Second Stage Web.com Tour Qualifying at five sites in November. Players advancing to the second stage will play to make the Web.com Qualifying School Final where they will vie for a spot on the 2017 Web..com Tour.
Go here for complete results and individual player scorecards.
