DeBonis (a) and Whitekiller Share Lead After Round One of the 48th Tanos Exploration II / Patterson-UTI Drilling Texas State Open
TYLER, Texas -
After Round One of the 48th Tanos Exploration II / Patterson-UTI Drilling Texas State Open, Camden DeBonis (a) of Allen, TX and Trent Whitekiller of Arlington, TX are tied for the lead after firing opening rounds of 65, 5-under par. DeBonis carded six birdies on the day with four coming during his back nine. Whitekiller’s day consisted of an eagle on hole #6 and an additional five birdies.
Six players sit one stroke back of the leaders at 4-under. They include Pierceson Coody (a) of Plano, TX, Brian Rowell of Broussard, LA, Derek Tolan of Highlands Ranch, CO, Andrew Paysse of Temple, TX, Stratton Nolen of Austin, TX and Joel Thelen of Hudson Oaks, TX. Paysse, making his professional debut, was the 2017 Low Amateur.
“My round went pretty well today. I got off to a pretty good start. I had a nice up and down on the first hole and I made about a 20-footer for birdie on the second hole and just got it rolling from there,” DeBonis said after being asked how his round went this morning.
Again in 2018, the Low PGA Club Professional will be recognized at the Tanos Exploration II / Patterson-UTI Drilling Texas State Open. Twenty PGA club professionals are in the field. Stuart Deane, PGA director of golf at The University of Texas at Arlington, currently leads this division at 3-under par. Matt Lohmeyer, PGA teaching professional at GolfTec - Montgomery Plaza, and Gabe Reynolds, PGA director of instruction at TopGolf Dallas, are just one shot back of Deane.
Low Amateur honors will be awarded at the Texas State Open. DeBonis currently leads, while Pierceson Coody sits just one shot back.
The 72-hole stroke play event consists of 156 players comprised of 32 amateurs and 124 professionals. The field will play 36-holes before being cut to the low 55 scores and ties. All four rounds will be contested at The Cascades Club, a 6,882-yard, par 70 layout. For the Championship, hole #10 is being played as a par 4 rather than a par 5.
The purse for the Tanos Exploration II / Patterson-UTI Drilling Texas State Open is a record $205,000, one of the largest state open purses in the country. The champion will win $41,000.
Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Northern Texas PGA Junior Golf Foundation’s scholarship program with the creation of the Tanos Exploration II / Patterson-UTI Drilling Texas State Open Scholarship. Emma French from Bullard, Texas was awarded this scholarship. This year the NTPGA Junior Golf Foundation awarded more than $307,500 in scholarships to 44 high school seniors from North Texas.
Round Two will commence on Wednesday, August 1 at 7:30 a.m. After tomorrow’s round, a cut to the low 55 and ties will occur. Currently, 60 players are at even par or better.
Starting times and groupings can be found at www.ntpga.com. Admission is free to all.
Please note: (a) denotes amateur, and amateurs will be awarded gift certificates.
First round results.
