Bonner cards 5 birdies, eagle to lead Modesto City Championships

Central Catholic High School graduate Andrew Bonner, who plays golf for the University of Oregon, shot a 7-under-par 65 to take the lead after the first day of the Modesto City Championships.

The championship flight, which played at Dryden Park on Saturday, will tee off at 9:22 a.m. Sunday at Creekside. Bonner is scheduled to go off at 11:37.

Bonner, who graduated from Central Catholic in 2013, is five shots ahead of Modestans Peter Canevari and James Atchison, and John Morshead of Ceres.

Bonner’s round featured five birdies (on holes 1, 7, 8, 14, 15) and an eagle (No. 2), with no bogeys. He hit a 315-yard drive on No. 2, then hit a 7-iron 185 yards to within 15 feet of the pin.

“It was a little right-to-left putt that probably broke six inches,” said Bonner, who plays out of Spring Creek Golf and Country Club in Ripon. “It wasn’t too difficult but not a super easy putt, either.”

Bonner, who transferred to Oregon after playing one season at the University of Colorado, is looking to turn pro soon and has his eyes on Qualifying School in 2017.

With a five-shot lead heading into the final round, he likes his chances.

“It’s golf,” Bonner said of his recent form. “I’ve been playing well, then not playing well. But I’ve been playing steady; that’s probably the best term.”

In the senior championship flight, Wayne Aalto led the way with a 76, followed by Tom Phillips’ 77, Ron Collet’s 78 and matching 79s from Peter Abate and David Halvorson.

In the women’s flight, Tori Peers led the way with a 71 (net 71), while Taylor Beckwith carded a 73 (net 70). Mabel Wong, a plus-3 handicap, shot 74 for a net 77. They’ll be the final threesome Sunday and will tee off at 9:15 a.m. at Dryden Park.

Devin Engebretsen led the first flight with a round of 74, while Steve Anderson paced the second flight with his 75. Matthew Johnson’s 84 led the third flight, and Phil Dodge’s 87 was best in the fourth flight.

In the senior handicap flight, Larry Benitez shot 77, good for a net 66.

The senior and first flights also will play at Creekside on Sunday, while all other flights will head to Dryden.

This story was originally published June 11, 2016 at 7:23 PM with the headline "Bonner cards 5 birdies, eagle to lead Modesto City Championships."