GOLF

67 Heaven: Andrew Riley, Osborn Theam, Quinton Debove share lead at U.S. Amateur qualifier

Garry Smits
Florida Times-Union
Jordan Batchelor of Jacksonville watches his long par-putt attempt at the ninth hole of the St. Johns  Golf and Country Club track to the hole during Monday’s first round of a U.S. Amateur qualifier.

Andrew Riley and Quintin Debove haven’t taken much time off since their college golf seasons ended in May.

Osborn Theam, on the other hand, had no idea what a few weeks of inactivity were going to do to his game.

U.S. Amateur leaderboard, second-round tee times

All three ended with the same score on Monday in the first round of a U.S. Amateur qualifier at the St. Johns Golf and Country Club: 5-under 67, one shot lower than Providence High senior Andrew McLauchlan and former University of Florida player and Bartram Trail graduate Toby Ragland.

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Checking in a 3-under were University of North Florida junior Robbie Higgins, former Ponte Vedra High player and Wake Forest sophomore Scotty Kennon, and Jack Roberts of St. Mary’s, Ga., a sophomore at Frederick Academy.

Former UNF player and coach Jordan Batchelor, who qualified for match play in the 2020 U.S. Amateur at Bandon Dunes, who 70.

Despite the heat and breezy conditions that preceded a quick storm front that delayed play for the final six groups, scores were low as 19 players broke par. The 1-over cut gave 30 players the chance to return on Tuesday to chase the three qualifying spots available for the U.S. Amateur Aug. 15-21 at the Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J.

Riley, a Creekside graduate and the 2020 Times-Union First Coast player of the year, was among the top players as a freshman at Palm Beach Atlantic this season and became the first player in the program to qualify for the NCAA Division II tournament. Debove, a native of Paris whose sister played at UNF, had six starts for the Gators’ NCAA tournament team.

Riley had only one bogey and made a 20-foot eagle putt at No. 12 after muscling a hybrid onto the green from 238 yards.

”It’s been a good year but [his swing coach] Daniel Carraher keeps telling me to find another gear,” Riley said.

Debove birdied four of his first seven holes and bounced back from bogeys at Nos. 1 and 2 with a 12-foot birdie putt at No. 3 and short birdie putts at Nos. 8 and 9.

Theam, a Bolles and LaGrange College graduate, has been working in his family’s business and is playing for the first time in three weeks after injuring his wrist.

”I didn’t’t know what to expect,” he said. “I’ve been hitting the ball a little better lately and I putted pretty well today.”

Theam began his round at No. 10, made two quick birdies at Nos. 11 and 12 and turned to make three more birdies on the front. He did not make a bogey.

Rehberg leads Northern Chapter

William Rehberg of Deerwood birdied three of his first six holes and finished 1-under 70 at the Atlantic Beach Country Club to take a two-shot lead in the Northern Chapter PGA Championship.

Northern Chapter PGA leaderboard

Clint Avret of Southeastern Turfgrass Supply and Stephanie Connelly-Eiswerth of San Jose and tied at 1-over 72. Jeff Hanson of the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club is alone in fourth at 2-over.

Avret leads the senior division by two shots over Mike Shannon of the Sawgrass Country Club. Zachary Vinal of The Yards is tied with Rehberg in the assistants division.

U.S. Amateur qualifier

At. St. Johns Golf and Country Club (top three after Tuesday’s second round advance to U.S. Amateur Aug. 15-21 at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J.

First round

Quentin Debove 35-32–67

Andrew Riley 33-34–67

Osborn Theam 33-34–67

Andrew McLauchlan 35-33–68

Toby Ragland 34-34–68

Robbie Higgins 36-33–69

Louis Giovacchini 34-36–70

Matthew Soucinek 37-34–71

Brett Schell 36-35–71

Phillip Dunham 35-36–71

Alex Vogelsong 37-34–71

Thomas Murtagh 36-36–72

Thomas Allkins 38-34–72

Tyler Brown 37-35–72

Landon Durham 37-36–73

Brock Blair’s 35-38–73

Jason Duff 36-37–73

Ty Capps 36-37–73

Austin Cherichella 37-36–73

Cameron Reed 36-37–73

Sean Butscher 37-36–73

Brady Sappenfield 36-37–73

Missed cut

Camden Smith 39-35–74

Johnny Travale 38-36–74

Andre Nacional 35-39–74

Clay Tucker 37-37–74

Joseph Pagdin 35-39–74

Derek Sanderson 36-39–75

Garrett Egbert 39-36–75

Carson Brewer 37-38–75

Adam Waller 37-38–75

Lane Revell 40-36–76

Bill Anderson 34-42–76

Toshi Hirata 40-36-76

Brody Stevenson 40-36–76

Matthew Young 39-39–77

James Sams 36-41–77

Neal Pease 38-39–77

Jake Hallmark 40-48–78

Parker Redding 38-40–78

Logan Flores 37-41–78

Chris Henderson 39-40–79

Jack Rowe 40-39–79

Alex Whitehead 40-40–80

Steve Carter 40-40-80

Mitch Schwab 47-34–81

William Shrewsbury 40-42–82

Kenny Altizer 40-44–84

Lucas Slayden 43-41–84

Matt Cooper 38-46–84

Colton Murray 45-39–84

Emillio Mariconda 52-41–93

Northern Chapter PGA Championship 

At Atlantic Beach Country Club 

Overall 

William Rehberg, Deerwood 33-37--70 

Clint Avret, SE Turfgrass Supply 33-39--72 

Stephanie Connelly-Eiswerth, San Jose 33-39--72 

Jeff Hanson, Ponte Vedra Inn 36-37--73 

Jason Bench, Capital City 37-37--74 

R.J. Milford, New Way Golf Academy 36-38--74 

James Poole, TPC Sawgrass 35-40--75 

Mike Miles, The Yards 39-36--75 

Santiago Cavanagh, Flagler College 37-38--75 

Jackson Koenig, TPC Sawgrass 35-40--75 

Nicholas Nuzzo, TPC Sawgrass 35-41--76 

Gerry James, Palencia 37-40--77 

Sean McGauley, Fleming Island 38-39--77 

Aaron Russell, Sawgrass CC 36-41--77 

Jennifer Borocz, North Florida Section 40-38--78 

Bob Wallace, Ponte Vedra Inn 37-41--78 

Marshall Collins, South Hampton 36-43--79 

Josh Wolfe, San Jose 39-40--79 

Carl Miller, King & Bear 40-40--80 

Blaze Grinn, North Hampton 36-44--80 

Matthew Carroll, Palencia 41-40--81 

Matt Hipps, Amelia National 40-41--81 

Rob Lee, Westside Golf Center 42-42--84 

Greg Ottani, Timuquana 48-36--84 

Grace Hurley, Ponte Vedra Inn 47-39--86 

Kirk Jones, Windsor Parke 42-44--86 

Senior division 

Clint Avret, SE Turfgrass Supply 33-39--72 

Mike Shannon, TPC Sawgrass 39-35--74 

James Poole, TPC Sawgrass 35-40--75 

Mike Miles, The Yards 39-36--75 

Cary Splane, Marsh Creek 39-37--76 

Gerry James, Palencia 37-40--77 

Jim Giordano, unattached 40-40--80 

Kirk Jones, Windsor Parke 42-44--86 

Assistants division 

Zachary Vinal, The Yards 36-34--70 

William Rehberg, Deerwood 33-37--70 

Mitchell Haley, Deerwood 37-34--71 

James Poole, TPC Sawgrass 35-40--75 

Jackson Koenig, TPC Sawgrass 35-40--75 

Nicholas Nuzzo, TPC Sawgrass 35-41--76 

Aaron Russell, Sawgrass CC 36-41--77 

Alex Long, Jacksonville Beach 39-39--78 

Carl Miller, King & Bear 40-40--80 

Chase Dubin, Jacksonville Beach 38-44--82 

Contact Garry Smits at gsmits@gannett.com