Jeff Castle and Lee Williams

Castle and Williams Share Lead after First Round of Lake Hickory Open

Hickory, NC- Jeff Castle of Nottingham, MD recorded nine birdies against just a single bogey to fire a first round 8-under-par 64 to share the lead after the first round of the Tarheel Tour’s Lake Hickory Open at Catawba Springs with former Auburn University standout Lee Williams.

Castle is making his first start on the Tarheel Tour since his tie for tenth at the Pete Dye Classic at the end of June. The former Towson University player and two-time Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year suffered a car accident on July 4th, in which he injured his wrist, putting him out of action for the Southern Open and River Hills Open.

Castle shares the first round lead with Alexander City, AL native Lee Williams. The two-time Walker Cup player went out in 31, before cooling off a bit on his second nine. However, the 2006 U.S. Open competitor finished with a flourish by birdieing his final two holes to finish with an 8-under-par 64. In 2007, Williams finished 96th on the Nationwide Tour money list which gave him conditional status for 2008. He made 11 cuts in 17 events in 2007 and earned just under $58,000. In 2008, Williams has gone back and forth between the Nationwide and Tarheel Tour this summer, making the cut in all five Tarheel Tour events he has competed, with a tie for eighth last week at the River Hills Open.

A large number of the usual favorites also rose to the top of the leader board during the first round at Catawba Springs. 2008 Tarheel Tour money leader David Robinson and recent Southern Open Champion Ted Brown headline the group who fired 7-under-par 65’s during the first round to share third place just one stroke back. Former Auburn University golfer Kevin Haefner, two-time Tarheel Tour winner Dane Burkhart, former Rivertowne Open runner-up Bruce McDonald, and Mission Viejo, CA resident Michael Lavery complete the group of players in a tie for third after opening with 65’s.

A host of players shot 66 in the first round, including former Nationwide Tour Player Tommy Biershenk. The former Clemson University standout played error-free golf in Wednesday’s First round while carding six birdies to shoot 66. Also shooting 6-under-par 66’s were 2008 Tarheel Tour winners D.J. Fiese, Jonathan Moore, and Michael Sims.

Overnight rain softened and slowed down the putting surfaces a bit for Wednesday’s first round allowing 70 players to break par with the entire field of 120 players averaging just 70.68 strokes around the Catawba Springs course at Lake Hickory. The second round of the Tarheel Tour’s Lake Hickory Open at Catawba Springs begins Thursday at 8:00 a.m. on the first and tenth tees. The cut will be made following the second round with the top 42 players and ties advancing to play in Friday’s final round. Come out and watch the best players in developmental tour golf vie for the title at the Lake Hickory Open at Catawba Springs. In accordance with all Tarheel Tour events, admission is free and open to the public.

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