Summerhays leads Provo Open

PROVO — Red numbers ruled Thursday at East Bay Golf Course as 45 players broke par in the opening round of the 70th Provo Open, while another 10 shot even par.

Most of the really low scores were posted in the morning rounds when conditions were near perfect and before winds kicked up late in the afternoon. And most of those who blistered the par-72 layout were the ones who tore up East Bay's five par fives.

Leading the way with an 8-under par 64 is Joseph Summerhays, who made bogey on the par-five No. 1 but played the other four par fives at five under par — with eagles on No. 9 and No. 16. He also added birdies on holes four, five, six, 13 and 17.

Close behind are several of Utah's brightest and youngest golfing stars. With first-round 7-under 65s were Clay Ogden and Dustin Pimm. Two shots back, after posting opening-round 66s, are two-time champion Steve Schneiter, former PGA Tour player Boyd Summerhays, Zach Johnson, Chris Gresh and Hobble Creek amateur Tyler Weight.

Riverside's Chris Moody shot 67, as did recently turned-pro Nick Killpack and BYU freshman-to-be Zac Blair. Former Utah Ute Luke Swilor posted a 68, along with Tony Finau, Nic Van Vuuren, Colby Meyers and amateurs Darrin Overson and Jared Overton. Defending champion Tom Costello posted a 1-over 73.

Like the leader, Pimm also had two eagles on his scorecard and played the par fives at seven under par. However, he had bogeys on No. 4 and No. 11 to offset birdies at No. 10 and No. 15.

Ogden took a different route with three twos on his scorecard with birdies on the par-3 third, par-3 seventh and par-3 17th. He also had an eagle on the par-5 13th and finished his round by making birdie on his final three holes.

Schneiter had one of the few spotless rounds with no bogeys, an eagle on No. 12 and four birdies. Boyd Summerhays had only one bogey and seven birdies. Weight, the low amateur, started his round with a bogey but then made seven birdies in his final 12 holes, including six on the back nine for a closing 30.

Every player who shot 68 or lower tees off today in the afternoon. Following today's second round the field will be cut to the low 40 professionals and low 30 amateurs. The first-place check for the pros is $3,200.

The shot of the day belonged to 15-year-old Orem High sophomore Dalton Stanger, who aced the 180-yard par-3 11th with a six iron. The hole-in-one was part of a four hole stretch that Stanger played at five under par. Prior to the ace he birdied No. 9 and No. 10, and then added a birdie on No. 12. He finished the day with a 2-over 74.

E-mail: jimr@desnews.com