Byrd, Thornton also under par with final round set Tuesday
July 19, 2021
Silvis, Illinois – July. 19, 2021 – Wyatt Worthington of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, and Seth Arthur of Paducah, Kentucky, both shot four-under 67s to take the top spot on the leaderboard Monday at APGA Tour Deere Run, the ninth event of the 2021 APGA Tour season.
Worthington’s round was highlighted by consecutive birdies on holes 13-15 as he turned in a back-nine 33 on the prestigious 7,183-yard, Par 71 course, which hosted the John Deere Classic earlier in July. Arthur carded an eagle on the 357-yard par 4 14th hole by driving the green with a perfectly placed tee shot that carried a right-side bunker and bounced up onto the putting surface. He then sank the 25-footer to surge into contention heading into Tuesday’s final round.
Marcus Byrd of Knoxviile, Tennessee, winner of APGA Tour New Orleans in June, shot a two-under 69 that included four back-nine birdies to stand alone in second place. J.P. Thornton of Houston, winner of the 2020 APGA Tour at TPC Surgarloaf, posted a one-under 70 for fourth place, ahead of a group at even par including Mahindra Lutchman of Orlando, David Lawrence of Moline, Illinois, and Kamaiu Johnson, the Tallahassee native who started three PGA TOUR events earlier this year as a sponsor exemption.
“I stuck to my game plan and approached every shot the exact same way,” stated the 35 year-old Arthur, a former high school football star at Massac County HS in Metropolis, Illinois. “I didn’t start playing golf until late, so this is one of my top accomplishments,” he continued. “I’m always confident, so I’ll just continue to control what I can control.” His top APGA Tour finish this year was 10th place at APGA Tour World Golf Village in March.
Worthington’s accomplishments include a successful qualifying stint for the 2019 PGA TOUR Canada event in Toronto and he tied for fourth place earlier this year at APGA Tour World Golf Village. “Most important was to keep the tee ball in play,” offered the 34 year-old, who described the rough as some of the thickest he’s ever played. “On a course this challenging, you have to seize the opportunities. I’m going to stick to my process and try to capitalize on opportunities when I can.” Playing on the APGA Tour since 2016, he tied for seventh place at APGA Tour Scottsdale in April.
APGA Tour Deere Run is the second-to-last tournament in the Lexus Cup Points Race with the APGA Tour Championship at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia, on tap August 9-10. Lexus Cup Point Standings leader Ryan Alford is tied for 14th place at two-over par. Willie Mack, who finished 61st in the John Deere Classic at the same course just days ago, is tied for 18th place at three-over par.
APGA Tour Deere Run wraps up Tuesday with the final round of the 36-hole, $25,000 competition.
All activities are being conducted under social-distancing and health/safety guidelines in conjunction with regional authorities. Scores and additional details are available at www.bluegolf.com<http://www.bluegolf.com
