Two local golfers four back at Ga. Amateur

Published 6:01 am Friday, July 13, 2012

ROSWELL — Dalton’s David Noll Jr. has a little climbing to do if he wants to keep his Georgia Amateur Championship crown.

Noll shot a 1-over 73 Thursday at Ansley Golf Club’s Settindown Creek course and sits four strokes back of the leaders — Alpharetta’s Robert Sheats, Savannah’s Scott Weeks and 2010 champion Lee Knox of Augusta — after one round of the Georgia State Golf Association tournament.

Noll, who also won the event in 2003, is in a 13-way tie for 27th place out of 144 golfers.

Rocky Face’s Will Snipes is one of the golfers level with the two-time champ. Snipes shot a 2-under 34 through the first nine holes, but a double-bogey on the par-4 14th scarred his day. He had two birdies and one bogey.

Noll shot a 38 through the first nine but rebounded with a 1-under for the second nine. He had two birdies and three bogeys.

The third local player in the event, Chatsworth’s Chase Jones, shot 10-over with three birdies, four bogeys, three double-bogeys and one triple-bogey.

Fifteen players finished under par and another 11 shot 72.

This is the 91st installment of the annual four-day, 72-hole tournament. The field will be cut to the low 70 players and ties and anyone within 10 strokes of the leader after today’s round.