Gomez Dominates with Bogey-Free 66, Leads Women’s Division;
Robison, Lewis, and Enright Share Men’s Lead with 68s
The 109th Southwestern Amateur Golf Tournament kicked off today at Desert Mountain’s Outlaw Golf Course with stellar performances in both the women’s and men’s divisions.
Murrieta, California native Lauren Gomez set the pace in the women’s division, shooting a flawless six-under-par 66. The Pepperdine student athlete’s bogey-free round, highlighted by six birdies, gives her the sole lead among the 72 competitors. The women’s division teed off with morning temperatures starting at a comfortable 80 degrees, reaching up to 98 degrees by the time they finished around noon.
Trailing Gomez is Taiwan’s Yu-Chu Chen, who carded her own bogey-free 67 (-5), while Madelyn Gamble from Pleasant Hill, California, posted a 68 (-4) to secure third place. Gamble, who will be a senior at Washington State, had six birdies against just two bogeys for her round. Notably, 25 players in the women’s division finished the morning round at even par or better.
This year’s women’s division is part of the inaugural Elite Amateur Golf Series for women, a premier circuit of the most prestigious amateur golf tournaments in the United States.
In the afternoon, the men’s division faced temperatures soaring to 101 degrees, with wind gusts up to 19 mph. Despite the challenging environment, three players rose to the top, each shooting a four-under 68 to tie for the lead. Brandon Robison from Centerville, Utah, Trevor Lewis from Prescott, Arizona and Longboat Key, Florida resident Carson Enright navigated the course with skill and adaptability.
Arizona native and UNLV’s Trevor Lewis commented on the unique challenges of the desert heat, saying, “When it gets really hot, you still need to control your distance because the ball can go pretty far, especially here in the mountains.”
Brandon Robison from the University of Utah added, “The ball goes a long way when it’s hot, which is nice because there are a few longer holes here.”
University of San Diego’s Carson Enright, who grew up in Arizona and now resides in Florida, emphasized the importance of staying hydrated and maintaining energy levels. “Stay hydrated. Also keep eating because when it’s hot like this people say to drink water, but forget to eat. I made sure I kept eating and staying hydrated,” Enright advised.
Six players are tied for fourth place, each with a score of 69 (-3).
The second round of the tournament begins tomorrow at 7:30 AM, with the men’s division teeing off in the morning and the women’s division starting at 12 PM.