Jones records 76 at Amateur

PINEHURST, N.C. – Ricky Jones of Thomaston had one bad hole Monday in his opening round of the U.S. Amateur golf tournament, but it may cost him a chance to qualify for match play competition starting Wednesday.

Jones triple bogeyed the par-4 eighth hole on the No. 2 course at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club en route to a 6-over-par 76, tied for 200th out of 312 competitors.

The field is split, with half playing Pinehurst No. 2 and the other half No. 4. They switch courses for today’s second round of medal play, and the low 64 after two rounds advance to match play.

Jones, two-time winner of the Maine Amateur, parred the first four holes, bogeyed No. 5 and parred 6 and 7 before getting into trouble on the 467-yard eighth hole.

He parred 9 and 10, then suffered his second bogey on 11. He birdied 13 but finished with bogeys on 16, a 510-yard par 4, and 18.

Andrew Putnam and Wesley Bryan are tied for the top spot at 3-under 67.