DECATUR — Will McCurdy shot a 2-under 69 Saturday at the Burningtree Country Club to wind up with the lead for the third straight round of the 44th annual Spirit of America Amateur Golf Classic.
The Auburn University golfer will enter today’s final 18 holes at 9-under overall.
McCurdy has a comfortable four-stroke advantage over the University of Alabama’s Trey Mullinax. However, that margin was quite a bit closer for most of Saturday’s third round.
Mullinax was 7-under — eight birdies and one bogey — through 16 holes before a double bogey on No. 17 and bogey on No. 18 brought the Crimson Tide golfer back down to earth.
Wallace State’s Deane Rikard (70-68-73) started Round 3 in second at 4-under but dropped to fourth after a 2-over 73 on Saturday. Rikard, McCurdy, Mullinax and Brandt Garon are the only four players with sub-par scores after 54 holes.
Troy University’s Jake Tucker carded a 3-over 74, his first round above par for the classic. The Cullman High graduate’s line of 71-70-74 has him tied for fifth with three other golfers at 2-over.
The University of North Alabama’s tandem of Trent Alexander and John Crow won the 54-hole college team portion of the tournament with a combined score of 6-over.
The results for participating Lions are as follows: Walker Edmonson, 13-over (78-78-74); Jake Miller, 13-over (73-76-77); Chris Atchley, 21-over (75-88-71); Robert Rikard, 29-over (78-85-79); and Chandler Russ, 45-over (84-87-87).
Former Wallace State golfer Conner Godsey is 11-over (79-70-75) and UNA’s Blaise Wilson, a Bearcat graduate, is 13-over (79-67-80). Kolby Hamrick is 34-over (75-84-88).
% The Times’ sports editor Rob Ketcham contributed to this report.
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