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JR

Whitsett Moves Into First Place at The Patriot All-America Invitational

Litchfield Park, Ariz. – Cory Whitsett shot a tournament-best 7-under-par 64 to move into a two shot lead at the Patriot All-America Invitational on the Gold Course at The Wigwam in Litchfield Park, Ariz. Whitsett’s 9-under 133 is two shots better than his college roommate at Alabama Bobby Wyatt.

Whitsett took advantage of ideal conditions early with an eagle on his first hole. He followed with a birdie on No. 4. Whitsett managed five-straight pars before recording his second eagle on No. 10. Two more birdies on Nos. 13 and 16 gave Whitsett a bogey-free 64 and vaulted him from a tie for third into first place.

“I got off to a quick start,” said Whitsett. “I eagled No. 1, birdied No. 4 and just played steady from there. I had some good opportunities that I didn’t convert there through the middle of the round. Then I eagled No. 10. I chipped in and then I got some momentum going. I came up with some good chances coming in but couldn’t convert on a couple. It was a good day.”

Wyatt - who was playing in the same pairing as Whitsett - also got off to a hot start. He birdied Nos. 1, 4, 7, 9, 11 and 13 to surge to the top of the leaderboard. A bogey at No. 14 would drop him back into a tie for the lead with Whitsett. Both Wyatt and Whitsett would birdie 16. A Wyatt double-bogey on 18 would move him two strokes behind Whitsett at 7-under for the tournament.

“I played really well all day until the last hole,” stated Wyatt. “Just played steady and made a good bit of putts today. That was really the difference between today and yesterday. I made double (bogey on No. 18) from just off the green in two (shots). Just a terrible hole and terrible finish after a good round today so it’s really disappointing.”

Johannes Veerman is in third place at 5-under while Joe David, Brooks Koepka, Julian Suri and Justin Thomas sit in a four-way tie for fourth at 3-under. Evan Beck, Austin Cook and Ben Klaus complete the top 10 tied at 2-under.

For more information, visit www.patriotallamerica.com.

See video coverage of the 2011 event from ESPN and HDLN here:

http://patriotallamerica.com/index.php/Media/details/C43/525