Defending champ Enslen leads field at Fayette County Open
Defending Fayette Open Champion Jeremy Enslen of Uniontown hits toward the second hole at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Bullskin Township Thursday afternoon.
John Lenkey of Brownsville hits toward the second hole during Thursday's competition in the Fayette County Open at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Bullskin Township.
BULLSKIN TWP. 鈥� Jeremy Enslen opened the defense of his Fayette County Open title in grand style Thursday afternoon at Pleasant Valley Country Club with the lone sub-par round in the field of 39 golfers.
Enslen went out in 2-under and came back 1-under to finish with a 3-under 68.
According to Enslen, he just needed to keep it simple on a difficult course.
鈥淚 just kept it in play and kept it under the hole,鈥� explained Enslen. 鈥淚 played pretty steady. You have to keep it below the hole here or you have no chance.鈥�
His first round as the defending champion didn鈥檛 seem to bother Enslen, either.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 just another tournament,鈥� said Enslen. 鈥淚 did what I wanted to do. I didn鈥檛 want to shoot anything over 74. It蘑菇视频 nice to shoot a good score here.鈥�
Enslen holds an early 3-stroke lead over a trio of golfers who all shot an even-par 71 鈥� Scott Bush, Ron Jones and Bernie Wydo.
Wydo played in the opening threesome of John Kingora and Dave Smithburger. On a course where the greens can undo a round, Wydo蘑菇视频 putting accounted for his even scoring round.
鈥淢y putting saved me on about three, four holes,鈥� said Wydo. 鈥淥verall, it was a good 71.鈥�
Recent rains softened the course, the greens as well as the fairways.
鈥淲herever you hit the ball, that蘑菇视频 where it stayed,鈥� said Wydo.
Pleasant Valley has traditionally been the second-day site, but the quartet of courses was juggled this year, so a tough second round 鈥済ot out of the way鈥� early.
鈥淭his is a course I don鈥檛 play well,鈥� said Bush. 鈥淭he big difference is the fast greens. This place is the one that usually gets me. It蘑菇视频 a 10-shot difference from last year.
鈥淚t feels good to play well here.鈥�
Three golfers finished at 1-over par 72, including Kingora, Justin Korona and Zach Rockwell.
Kingora went out in 4-over, but finished the back nine in 3-under.
鈥淚 have no confidence right now,鈥� said Kingora. 鈥淚t played a little easier with the wet greens.鈥�
DIVOTS: Tee times for the seniors for Saturday蘑菇视频 round at Uniontown Country Club have been adjusted and can be found on C2 鈥� Harison Laskey, son of Duck Hollow Golf Club general manager George Laskey, is the youngest golfer in the field, entering his freshman year at Laurel Highlands.