August 10, 2021
DULUTH, GEORGIA (August 9, 2021) – APGA Tour star Willie Mack III continued his streak of impressive performances with a seven under par 65 Monday to take a one stroke lead after the first round of the Mastercard APGA Tour Championship presented by Lexus at TPC Sugarloaf.
First round scores are available here.<https://9177083809-my.sharepoint.com/personal/sgriffith_viziongroup_net/Documents/1.Vizion%20Group%20PR/APGA/2021/game%20stories.advances/TPC%20Sugarloaf/.https:/apgatour.bluegolf.com/bluegolfw/apgatour21/event/apgatour2110/contest/1/leaderboard.htm>
The Flint, Michigan, native shot a five-under par 31 on the front nine before carding three straight birdies on the back in pursuit of his second straight victory following last month’s win in the Billy Horschel APGA Tour Invitational at TPC Sawgrass. Earlier in July, Mack took advantage of PGA TOUR sponsor exemptions to make the cut in both The Rocket Mortgage Classic (T-64) and The John Deere Classic (T-71). Owner of over 65 mini-tour wins and a two-time APGA Tour Player of the Year, Mack is headed to Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School in September.
Just one stroke back are Patrick Newcomb of Jacksonville, FL, and Aaron Beverly of Fairfield, California, who fired 66s on the 6,861-yard, par 72 layout in suburban Atlanta. Defending APGA Tour Lexus Cup Point Standings champion and 2020 Player of the Year Tim O’Neal is another stroke back at five-under par with Michael Herrera of Moreno Valley, California, in fifth place with a four-under 68. Landon Lyons of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Daniel Augustus of Bermuda; Mahindra Lutchman of Orlando; and Joseph Dent of Tampa follow at three-under with the final round set for Tuesday.
“I’ve been playing well. Been in a little groove,” stated Mack, who had an eagle 3 on the 542-yard sixth hole. “I got a putting tip back home and the putter was hot today.” Mack hit a hybrid 247 yards away to within four feet and converted the putt to get to five under par after six holes en route to the round of the day. “There are a lot of people at the top,” he continued. “I know I’m going to have to go low again tomorrow.”
The players are competing for a $7,500 first prize from the tournament purse of $25,000 and a $30,000 bonus pool will be distributed in accordance with the season-long Lexus Cup Point Standings. Several players are in contention for the $17,500 first prize with Marcus Byrd of Knoxville, Tennessee, the point standings leader going into this week. Byrd stands in 11th place, six strokes back.
The Mastercard APGA Tour Championship is the tenth tournament of the landmark 2021 season, featuring a record 13-plus events and eight exemptions for APGA Tour players into PGA TOUR tournaments. TPC Sugarloaf is the sixth TPC property that has hosted the APGA Tour this year as part of its partnership with the PGA TOUR.
All activities are being conducted under social-distancing and health/safety guidelines in conjunction with regional authorities.
The tour continues September 20-22, when the players will be heading to the Bluestone Country Club in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, for APGA Tour Valley Forge. The tournament marks the first time the APGA Tour will play in the Northeastern United States.
