MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Wheeling’s Thadd Obecny was one of just four players to break par in the second round of the 87th West Virginia Open at Glade Springs Resort. He has surged to the top of the leaderboard at 3-under heading into Thursday’s final round.
The Wheeling Park High School graduate is the lone player in the field to post back-to-back rounds under par after shooting a 70 in the second round. Obecny blistered the back nine on Wednesday by shooting a 4-under par 32 in his final nine holes. He eagled the par 5 12th hole and birdied three of his final six holes.
Obecny will take a three-shot lead into Thursday’s final round. Petersburg High School graduate Nick Fleming shot 73 to fall back to even par for the tournament.
Defending state amateur champion Mason Williams has posted back-to-back rounds of even par 72. The Bridgeport High School graduate and Georgia Southern sophomore is looking to become the first amateur to win the open in sixteen years.
.@masonwill1371 talks to @TonyCaridi, @BradHowe07 and @HunterWvu88bgn about the first two days of the WV Open. WATCH: https://t.co/hraqG6HpFQ pic.twitter.com/sBsADSHobq
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) June 24, 2020
Opening-round leader Kenneth Hess of Parkersburg shot 75 Wednesday to fall back to even par. Fleming, Hess, Williams and Cole Moore of Spencer are all tied for second at even par.
13-time state amateur champion Pat Carter is alone in sixth place at 1-over. The Huntington native shot 74 in the second round. Six more players are tied for seventh at 2-over. That group includes two-time champion Christian Brand. He took a quintuple bogey 9 on the par 4 fourth hole but played the remaining fourteen holes at 3-under to remain in contention.
Poca’s David Scragg and Fairmont’s Jess Ferrell tied Obecny for the best round of the day with a 2-under par 70. 4-time defending champion and 11-time winner David Bradshaw is tied for 17th at 4-over. 64 players made the cut for tomorrow’s final round.