EL PASO, Texas – Matthias Schmid of Maxhvette, Germany and Bryson Nimmer of Bluffton, S.C. are tied for first place after two rounds at the 2018 Sun Bowl Marathon All-America Golf Classic. Both players posted an 11-under-par 131 on the par 71, 6,889 yard El Paso Country Club course.
Schmid hit five birdies in the second round to following his first round where he tallied seven birdies to pull into a tie with Nimmer. Schmid, who won the Titliest Long Drive Contest on Sunday, mentioned that he hit some great putts on a course that featured some tough pin placements.
“The first round was great, with no bogeys and seven birdies,” Schmid said. “I was in trouble a few times but played a solid second round and hung in there.”
Nimmer also tallied 12 birdies on the day with eight of those birdies coming in round one. This is Nimmer’s second consecutive year in the Sun Bowl All-America Golf Classic and finished the tournament in with a 217 in 2017.
“I got the putter going a little bit and it was nice to hit some putts,” Nimmer said. “I didn’t play very well here last year, and it was mainly putts where I had trouble, so I felt really good to make some [putts]. Today, I played very well the first 27 holes. The back nine wasn’t that great but I hung in there.”
Spencer Ralston of Gainesville, Ga. is only one stroke behind the leaders with a 10-under-par 132 after he caught fire in round two marking birdies on holes 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. He also marked birdies on holes 15 and 17. Ralston hit a 3-under-par 68 in round one and an 7-under-par 64 in round two.
“I drove the ball on the fairway, which is pretty key out here,” Ralston said. “I got some momentum going late in round one and when I got started in the second round, that momentum carried over and hit four straight birdies.”
The final round of the Sun Bowl Marathon All-America Golf Classic is, Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 8 a.m. (MT) at the El Paso Country Club. Tee times will start at 8 a.m. with the final groups beginning at 8:40 a.m. (MT).Day One Results
T1. Matthias Schmid: 64-67—131 (-11)
T1. Bryson Nimmer: 63-68—131 (-11)
3. Spencer Ralston: 68-64—132 (-10)
4. Walker Lee: 68-66—134 (-8)
5. Will Gordon: 71-64—135 (-7)
T6. Chun An Yu: 68-68—136 (-6)
T6. Stephen Franken: 71-65—136 (-6)
T6. Harry Hall: 68-68—136 (-6)
T9. Brandon Smith: 71-67—138 (-4)
T9. Garrett May: 69-69—138 (-4)
T9. Quade Cummins: 72-66—138 (-4)
T13. Justin Suber: 68-71—139 (-3)
T13. Thomas Walsh: 70-69—139 (-3)
T15. Austin Eckroat: 72-68—140 (-2)
T15. Patrick Martin: 72-68—140 (-2)
T15. John Augenstein: 71-69—140 (-2)
18. Travis Trace: 71-70—141 (-1)
T19. Mason Overstreet: 73-69—142 (E)
T19. Turk Pettit: 74-68—142 (E)
T19: Alex Smalley: 74-68—142 (E)
T19. Josh Martin: 71-71—142 (E)
T23. Phillip Knowles: 73-70—143 (1)
T23. Chandler Eaton: 72-71—143 (1)
25. Peng Pichaikool: 71-74—145 (3)
26. Alex del Rey: 73-74—147 (5)
27. Austin Squires: 77-71—148 (6)
28. Brad Dalke: 78-74—152 (10)
29. Hayden Wood: 84-72—156 (+14)