Former two-time Shady Spring state champion golfer Todd Duncan navigated the much tougher Wednesday afternoon conditions during round one of the 91st annual W.Va. Open to shoot 67 (4-under par), leaving him five shots out of the lead.
Thursday morning, in round two of the three-day event, it was Duncan’s chance to play in the more favorable morning conditions.
The current West Virginia University standout took full advantage.
Draining eight birdies against just two bogeys, Duncan stormed up the leader board besting par by six shots. The round of 65 moved Duncan into second place, just two shots back of leader Will Evans, heading into tomorrow’s final round at Edgewood Country Club.
Following an inauspicious start with a bogey on the second hole of the day, Duncan ripped off four birdies in the next seven holes to make the turn at 3-under par for the day.
Birdies at holes 11 and 15 were followed by a bogey on No. 16 to momentarily halted the momentum, but Duncan closed strong with two straight birdies.
Evans maintained his first round lead at the end of the day, but it was a wild and crazy ride for the former George Washington standout.
Starting with back-to-back bogeys to fall three shots behind Duncan, Evans bounced back with a trio birdies before he made the turn, moving back into a tie for first place.
A bogey at hole 12 and a birdie on No. 14 set the stage for Evans to hit the shot of the tournament at the par-5 16th.
The tournament leader proceeded to jar his second shot for a rare double-eagle giving him a three-shot advantage. However, the excitement was quickly tempered with a double bogey one hole later.
Evans bounced back with a closing birdie on hole 18 capping the wild closing stretch, giving him a two-shot lead with 18 holes to play.
Friday’s final round will be far from a two-horse race with Huntington native Cam Roam three shots back of the lead after matching Duncan’s 65. Parkersburg professional Kenney Hess recorded a 67 and is five shots behind Evans.
Three-time champion Christian Brand is six-shots back and 12-time champion David Bradshaw needs to make up seven shots. Evans’ former Marshall teammate Davey Jude fired a 67 Thursday to move into a tie with Bradshaw for seventh place.
Local players making the cut to play Friday include Isaiah Zaccheo (-2) from Beckley, Tanner Vest (-1) from Shady Spring and Jared Taylor (+1) from Bluefield.
Patrick Smith (+4) from Beckley, Hunter O’Neal (+4) from Bluefield, Jeff McGraw (+5) from Princeton and Jared Potter (+6), also from Princeton will participate in the final round as well.
Current WVU Tech standout golfer Bryson Beaver (+8), along with White Sulphur Springs natives Matt Hoffman (+6) and Nick Dent (+7) also made the cut.
Evans, Duncan and Roam will tee off at 11 a.m. Friday.
