Hoey and Mendoza Tied Heading into Last Lap of Pacific Coast Amateur

Southern California residents carded rounds in the 60’s to slingshot up the leaderboard ahead of 36-hole leader K.K. Limbhasut; Aaron Whalen of Ephrata remains in the hunt 

PACIFIC COAST GOLF ASSOCIATION (Seattle, Wash.)– Following impressive rounds under-par by a pair of Californians, Rico Hoey of Rancho Cucamongo and Nahum Mendoza of San Diego (pictured above) sit tied atop the leaderboard with 18-holes remaining at the 50th Pacific Coast Amateur hosted by Seattle Golf Club.

Fresh off a Morse Cup team victory the day prior, Hoey and Mendoza seemed to follow the same script during round three. Playing in different groups, both players made their only bogeys on the par-4 third before ringing off birdies on the inward holes. 

Hoey, a collegiate player with the University of Southern California, has posted rounds of 71-71-69 (211) to get himself into the tie with Mendoza at -5. Mendoza, playing out of San Diego State University, had a slightly more up-and-down line, carding totals of 70-73-68 to get to the same position of five-under. 

K.K. Limbhasut of Bangkok, Thailand, lead after 36-holes but suffered a slight hiccup in round three thanks to a double-bogey on the par-3 eleventh hole. Sitting at -4 (68-69-75), Limbhasut will round out the final pairing for tomorrow.

Aaron Whalen of Ephrata, Wash., is well within striking distance of Mendoza and Hoey, needing to make up only two-shots to secure a tie for the lead after a 54-hole total of -3 (71-70-72). Will Zalatoris of Plano, Texas has also moved into a viable position to lift the Dr. Ed Updegraff trophy as champion, carding rounds of 74-69-70 to sit tied in fourth with Whalen.

Final round action takes place tomorrow starting at 8:00am with the leaders challenging Seattle Golf Club at 10:10am.