Louisiana's Busby Shows No Signs of Slowing, Leads Trans-Miss by Six

July 8, 2021 | 3 min.

 
INDEPENDENCE, Minn. – Piecing together his third consecutive round below par this week, Derek Busby watched his lead at the 117th Trans-Mississippi Amateur Championship grow to six strokes Thursday at Windsong Farm with 18 holes left to play.
 
Former University of California-Berkley golfer Kaiwen Liu and Australian Adam Brady will face a sizable deficit when the final round begins Friday, tied for second at 6-under 207.
 
Busby, a 37-year-old who hails from Ruston, La., carded a bogey-free 66 during the opening round Tuesday and followed it by pulling away from the competition with his 6-under 65 during the second round Wednesday to take a four-stroke lead.
 
Played his opening 11 holes in even par Thursday, Busby carded his third birdie of the week at the short, par-4 12th, moving into red figures for the day. Busby moved to 13-under for the championship by sinking his birdie opportunity at the par-3 16th, but would finish with a bogey at the last to sit six strokes ahead of the field at 12-under 201.
 
Liu quickly climbed the leaderboard Thursday by sinking a birdie at the first before he holed his tee shot at the 180-yard seventh hole with a 7-iron, sending him to 5-under for the championship.
 
Managing to refocus his composure, Liu followed his ace at the seventh with a birdie at the par-4 eighth, and would finish his round with consecutive pars to shoot a 4-under 67 for a share of second place at 207.
 
Brady began the championship with a 70 on the opening day of play and followed it with a 4-under 67 Wednesday to sit six shots off Busby’s lead.
 
On Thursday, Brady started slow with a pair of bogeys during his opening nine before finding his stride and carding five consecutive birdies beginning at the par-5 ninth, moving to 8-under and within striking distance of Busby, but would bogey two of his last four holes to card a 1-under 70 to join Busby as the only players in the field with three consecutive rounds in red figures.
 
Minnesotan and Pepperdine University golfer Derek Hitchner bounced back from his disappointing finish during the second round Wednesday by carding a pair of birdies over his final nine on his way to a 2-under 69. Hitchner leads all Minnesotans at the event as he will begin Friday’s final round in a share of sixth at 3-under 210.
 
Current University of Minnesota golfer Lincoln Johnson posted a round of even par Thursday and currently sits tied for 12th at 1-under 212, while Gopher teammate Connor Glynn finished three rounds of play in 55th at 12-over 225.
 
Former Gopher and two-time Minnesota State Open champion Ben Greve opened the tournament with a round of 1-over 72 and followed it with back-to-back 73’s and will enter the final 18 holes tied for 46th at 5-over 218.
 
The 117th Trans-Mississippi Amateur Championship concludes Friday, with the final round set to begin at 8 a.m. at Windsong Farm
 
 
 
THE 117TH TRANS-MISSISSIPPI AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
WINDSONG FARM
INDEPENDENCE, MINN.
7,191 YARDS, PAR 71
 
 
THURSDAY’S THIRD ROUND RESULTS
1. Derek Busby, United States, 66-65-70—201
T2. Kaiwen Liu, China, 69-71-67—207
T2. Adam Brady, Australia, 70-67-70—207
T4. Ryan Eshleman, United States, 73-66-70—209
T4. Cal McCoy, United States, 69-66-74—209
T6. DEREK HITCHNER, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., 70-71-69—210
T6. Jansen Preston, United States, 68-72-70—210
T8. Shiryu (Leo) Oyo, Japan, 65-78-68—211
T8. Noah Gillard, United States, 68-73-70—211
T8. Jacob Westberg, United States, 69-71-71—211
T8. Henry Shimp, United States, 68-77-66—211
 
T12. LINCOLN JOHNSON, CHASKA, MINN., 73-68-71—212
T46. BEN GREVE, EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN., 72-73-73—218
55. CONNOR GLYNN, WACONIA, MINN., 68-76-81—225
 
 
For complete tournament results go to:  www.golfgenius.com/pages/6842310089806722837
 
 

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