Two Share Lead In Lilac
Jeff Gilchrist’s first trip to the Pacific Northwest has the potential to turn profitable.
The 27-year-old golf professional from Granite Bay, Calif., took a big step toward claiming the $5,000 winner’s check in the 40th annual Lilac Invitational golf tournament Friday by scorching The Fairways at West Terrace with an 8-under-par 64.
The tournament-low round, which came on the heels of Thursday’s opening round 70, gave Gilchrist a share of the lead heading into today’s third round of the 72-hole event. He is tied with Ernest Hill, a pro from Wallace, Idaho, at 10-under-par 134 after 36 holes.
Hill, who plays out of Shoshone Golf and Country Club in Kellogg, shot Friday’s second-best round, a 6-under 66, to match Gilchrist. Priest River professional Jim Bob Coleman is tied for third with first-round leader Kyle Kelly at 135 after taming The Fairway’s 6,459-yard layout with a 5-under 67.
Gilchrist and Hill will play in today’s final twosome, which tees off at 1:10 p.m., and the pairing could make for some interesting golf, considering how well they both played Friday in taking advantage of another gorgeous day and some more friendly pin placements.
“I just stayed patient out there today,” said Gilchrist, who has played the Canadian Tour the past two years, while also dabbling on one of the minitours in his home state. “You can birdie every hole on the golf course, but you have to guard against getting too aggressive.”
Gilchrist’s round was textbook. The pro, who plays out of Granite Bay Golf Course just outside of Sacramento, spiced up his first Lilac appearance with an eagle-3 on the 493-yard, par-5 14th that fueled a backside score of 5-under 31. His scorecard contained nine 3s and just one bogey - a scruffy 5 on the 366-yard, par-4 8th.
“It was the eagle on 14 that really got me going,” said Gilchrist, who first learned about the Lilac while playing in a minitour event with Coeur d’Alene resident and Lilac regular John Cook. “I hooked my drive into the hardpan, but hit a great 4-iron to about 6 feet and made the putt. That started me thinking, `All right, let’s try to birdie in.”’ On the next hole, the 390-yard, par-4 15th, he rolled in his longest birdie putt of the day - an 18-footer - and then birdied the par-3 17th to get to 8-under.
“I got off to a real rough start Thursday because I let the greens get to me,” said Gilchrist, who opened birdie-birdie on Friday. “I started getting the speed down near the end of the round and felt real good today. I had actually set 64 as my target score, so I never felt like I got out of my comfort zone.”
Gilchrist said he came to the Lilac to test his swing in a 72-hole event. “Most of the minitour events in California are just two days,” he said. “I was kind of looking for some different stuff and when John told me about the Lilac, I decided to try it.
“I’ve never even been to the Northwest before, but I love it. And I love the golf course. I’m not a real long hitter, so I try to score with my mid-irons. These greens are real receptive and they putt great. I’m sold on the whole experience.”
Hill seems to be having a pretty good time, too, after making seven birdies Friday. And Coleman, who plays out of Stoneridge Golf Course near Blanchard, Idaho, seems more than comfortable with his game.
“I’ve only missed four greens in two days,” said Coleman, who finished sixth in last year’s Lilac.
“But making a few more putts would be nice.”
Kelly, an amateur and senior-to-be at Eastern Washington University, tacked a decent round of 3-under 69 onto Thursday’s 66, but wasn’t particularly happy with his effort. “It wasn’t nearly as good as yesterday,” Kelly said. “I just didn’t feel as comfortable out there today. I had a lot of in-between distances and my wedge play was bad.
“Still, I’m definitely happy to be 9-under. I’m still in it.”
Defending champion Ryan Kelly posted a second-consecutive 71 to head a group of five golfers at 142. He had it to 3-under after 14 holes, but pulled his drive on the 390-yard, par4-15th and made double bogey.
“I just can’t seem to get it going,” said Kelly, a professional playing out of Kitsap Golf & Country Club in Bremerton. “I’ve played pretty well, but I just haven’t scored very well.”
Kelly’s brother, Troy, an amateur and standout college player at the University of Washington, shot 70 and was at 138, a stroke behind professionals Lance Rieber and Chad Gaffaney, who are at 137.
Gilchrist, after only two trips around The Fairways layout, said he isn’t sure what he will need to do the final two rounds to maintain his lead.
“I had heard from John that around 15- to 20-under-par usually wins it,” he said, “so my goal coming in was to get to 20-under. I’d be happy there, but I know (the winning score) could go even lower than that.”
LEADERBOARD LILAC OPEN J. Gilchrist 10-under, 134 E. Hill 10-under, 134 K. Kelly 9-under, 135 J.B. Coleman 9-under, 135