Carson City's Jeff Duncan carded an opening round 1-under par 71 at the 101st U.S. Amateur Championship in Atlanta, Ga., on Monday.
Duncan, playing his first round of stroke play on the 6,561-yard Druid Hills Golf Club, made the turn at 36 and then shot 35 over the back nine holes to move into a tie for 46th overall in the field. A total of 24 players shot 71 for the day on two courses, Druid Hills and East Lake Golf Club.
Duncan was one of two players who earned a trip to Atlanta at a qualifier held at Dayton Valley Golf Club earlier this month. The other, Billy Harvey of Las Vegas and BYU, shot 75 on Monday.
The tournament's main highlight on Monday was turned in by Robert Godfrey, 27, of Clemson, S.C., who took the early lead and tied East Lake's competitive course record with a 7-under-par 63.
Godfrey's score also bettered the Amateur stroke play record of 64 shared by Phil Mickelson (1990) and Hank Kim (1994).
Godfrey, who is playing in his first Amateur, was headed for an even lower score until he made bogey on holes 17 and 18.
Godfrey's round currently stands one stroke better than recent U.S. Walker Cup teammates James Driscoll and Lucas Glover, who both shot 64.
Another Las Vegas player, Scott Wingfield, shot 69 at Druid Hills to move into a tie for 17th.
The second round of stroke play is set for today before the field of 312 golfers is trimmed to the lowest 64 scorers, who will advance to match play. The championship continues through Sunday's 36-hole final, with the winning earning invitations to play in the next U.S. Open, Masters and British Open.
