A foursome headed by PGA Tour winner Davis Thompson birdied eight of 10 holes during one stretch at the Sea Island Club Seaside Course on Monday and took a two-shot lead in the first round of the 48th Henry Tuten Gator Bowl Pro-Am.
Thompson, his father and tournament director of the Tour’s RSM Classic Todd Thompson, Bobby Wyatt and Jeremy Elliott shot 14-under-par 58 under the format of one best gross ball.
Three teams are tied for second at 10-under: PGA Tour winner Keith Mitchell and amateurs Jackson Byrd, Lee Knox and Hank Holcomb; University of Florida golf coach J.C. Deacon and Craig Hosie, Richard Scott and Kelvin Day, and Blake Dyer, Devin Hernandez, Marc Dull and Spencer Baldwin.
After parring their first two holes, the Thompson team went on its tear, starting with three birdies in a row. They closed with four birdies in a row.
The tournament moved to the par-72 Plantation Course for Tuesday’s second round.
A group of five teams tied at 9-under includes defending champions Dillon Board, Joe Stepnes, Alex Williamson and Sammy Davis. The group at 8-under is led by 2022 Players champion Cameron Smith, 2024 Florida Amateur champion Jimmy Ellis of Atlantic Beach, University of North Florida graduate John Limanti and Brandon Arthurs.
48th Henry Tuten Gator Bowl Pro-Am
First round, at Sea Island Club Seaside Course
Format: Best gross ball of foursome
58 (12-under)
Davis Thompson, Todd Thompson, Bobby Wyatt, Jeremy Elliott.
60 (10-under)
Blake Dyer, Devin Hernandez, Marc Dull, Spencer Baldwin.
J.C. Deacon, Craig Hosie, Richard Scott, Kelvin Day.
Keith Mitchell, Jackson Byrd, Lee Knox, Hank Holcomb.
61 (9-under)
Dillon Board, Joe Stepnes, Alex Williamson, Sammy Davis.
Rob Oppenheim, R.J. Glod, Dan Glod, Nick Diebel.
Matt Borchert, Doug Dvorak, Christian Vozza, Eric Atsma.
Alex Goff, Justin Horn, Dhaivat Pandya, Andrew Clark.
Joseph Winslow, Andrew Morgan, John Ambrose, Korky Kemp.
62 (8-under)
Jeff Hanson, Zach Lee, Tyler Brown, Tom Krystyn.
Jimmy Jones, Josh Seiple, Chet Ghioto, Tom Nettles.
Cameron Smith, Brandon Arthurs, John Limanti, Jimmy Ellis.
63 (7-under)
Ben Martin, Clayton Berline, Wesley Harden, Phillip Mollica.
Russell Knox, Luis Rivera, Anthony Rivera, John Coultas.
Mark Blakefield, Tanner Berry, Connor Shea, Brad Doster.
Tyler Gray, Adam Moyer, Dustin Dingus, Rhett Pooley.
Michael Mattiace, Jordan Batchelor, Jeff Dennis, Jack Comstock.
64 (6-under)
Sam Anderson, Matt Wells, Thomas Joiner, Zack Justice.
Taylor Dickson, Walt Todd, Brandon Truesdale, Jordan Sease.
Jared Wolfe, Lenny Schonfeld, Philip Detlefs, Luke McCann.
Michael McGowan, Chris Wilson, Glen Long, Brian Smith.
Cary Splane, Jamie Welu, Luke Splane, Tyler Averdick.
65 (5-under)
A.J. Crouch, Phil Oweida, John Jonas, Connor Richardson.
Ron Philo Jr., Jeffrey Doty, Cooper Diaz, Nick Feinberg.
Josh Lee, Brett Schell, Nick Presti, Steve Carter.
Blanton Tessin, Marlen Vogt, Ben Hayes, Will Braude.
66 (4-under)
Ramon Bescansa, Michael Del Rocco, Andy Allen, Michael O’Neal.
67 (3-under)
Frank Lickliter, Jeff Golden, Adam Krestalude, Sam Ohno.
Raul Pereda, Tyler Vanover, James Dulin, Max Bianchi.
72 (2-over)
Michael Broderick, Matty Miller, Peter Catanzaro, Dan Huffingham.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Gator Bowl Pro-Am: 11 teams within four shots of Davis Thompson foursome
