MOULTRIE – The Glen Arven Country Club team led by Bill Connelly finished tied for second in the 2024 Pot o’ Gold Pro-Am at Sunset Country Club.
But heading into Sunday’s final round of this year’s 70th Pot o’ Gold, the Thomasville quartet has a five-shot lead.
The team of Connelly and amateurs J.D. Culbreth, Mason Howell and Shep Davis followed Friday’s 60 with an outstanding 56 on Saturday for a 136.
Five shots back at 121 are another Glen Arven team led by Jimmy Gillam and the Ansley Golf Club foursome playing for pro Jacob Tilton.
Playing on Tilton’s team are Sunset Country Club regulars Kevin Blanton, Andy Blanton and Michael Hall.
Those three teams and the leaders in the low amateur and low professional divisions will be closely watching Sunday’s weather forecast, which calls for rain much of the day.
Bull Creek Golf Club’s Adam Cooper has a solid lead among the professionals after shooting a 67-69 for an 8-under 136.
Cooper was the low pro in last year’s Pot o’ Gold, which was shortened to two rounds because of rain.
Tilton and Gillam are tied for second, six shots back at 142.
Culbreth, who was the low amateur last year, has shot a 70-64 for a 134 and a three-shot lead over a trio of players, including Sunset’s Eli Stripling.
Andy Blanton and Culbreth each shot 139 last year, but Culbreth had the lower final-day score to take the low amateur trophy.
Howell, Blake Kelley and Stripling each are 7-under par at 137.
Stripling is playing with brother Von Stripling and Colquitt County High School boys golf coach Andrew Eunice on Cooper’s No. 2 team.
Kelly is playing with Invervess Country Club pro Jake Greer.
Several Colquitt County players have turned in two solid rounds.
Hall, an All-State player and a junior on the Colquitt County High boys golf team, is 4-under at 140 after the first two rounds.
Austin Baker, playing for Connelly’s No. 2 team, is 2-under with his 71-72—142.
Tanner Brown bounced back from a Friday 76 to shoot a 4-under 68 on Saturday and is at even par 144.
Play is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.