Three-Time Olympian Todd Eldredge Leads After Opening Round of Golf Channel Am Tour National Championships

Three-Time Olympian Todd Eldredge Leads After Opening Round of Golf Channel Am Tour National Championships

Competing in the Palmer Flight (Handicap Range 4-7.9), Eldredge Cards Even-Par 72

Erie, Colo. Resident Paul Erdman Leads Championship Flight with Four-Under 68

574 Participants Battling for National Championship Honors

National Championships Round One Recap Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=makoRqYLfbI

LA QUINTA, Calif., (Sept. 24, 2011) – Todd Eldredge is taking his success from ice to the golf course.

The three-time Olympian and six-time U.S. national figure skating champion carded an even-par 72 today at the 2011 Golf Channel Am Tour National Championships in La Quinta, Calif., to tie for the opening-round lead in his flight.  Eldredge’s round was headlined by a 2-under-par 34 on his back nine at The Greg Norman Course at PGA West.  He is competing in the Palmer Flight (handicap range 4-7.9) at this week’s national championships.

Eldredge is among 574 competitors representing 42 U.S. States, Canada and Puerto Rico who traveled to the Coachella Valley in Southern California this week to compete for national championship honors.  The 72-hole tournament, broken up into six flights and taking place on four La Quinta-area golf courses headlined by PGA West, kicked off today and will conclude Tuesday.

In the Championship Flight (handicap range 3.9 or less), Erie, Colo. resident Paul Erdman carded a 4-under-par 68 at La Quinta Resort Mountain Course to take an early lead over 2009 national champion Pete DeTemple (Callaway, Md., 3-under-par 69) and 2006 national champion Jeff Hunter (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., 2-under-par 70). 

Information on the opening round leaders in the six flights appears below:

Championship Flight (<3.9)

1   Paul Erdman          Erie, Colo.                               33-35--68 -4 

2   Pete DeTemple       Callaway, Md.                        36-33--69 -3 

3   Jeff Hunter             Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.          35-35--70 -2 

Palmer Flight (4-7.9)

T1   Kyle Zeitz                     Louisville, Ky.                      36-36--72 E   

T1   Todd Eldredge              Estero, Fla.                           38-34--72 E   

3    Pete Boylan                    Havertown, Pa.                     37-37--74 +2  

Hogan (8-11.9)

1    Mark Lohrding               Fairview Heights, Ill.            38-37--75 +3  

2    Ben Burney                     Amarillo, Texas                     40-37--77 +5  

3    Tim Williams                   McKinney, Texas                  40-38--78 +6  

Sarazen (12-15.9)

1    Terry Bodoin                  San Diego, Calif.                  41-41--82 +10 

2    Sean Bosley                    Ashburn, Va.                        41-42--83 +11 

T3   Chane Miller                  Scottsdale, Ariz.                   39-45--84 +12 

T3   Henry Wu                      Los Angeles, Calif.               43-41--84 +12 

Jones (16-19.9)

1   Suneil Aggarwal              Alpharetta, Ga.                     41-39--80 +8  

T2  Frank Rohrschneider      Renton, Wash.                      40-45--85 +13 

T2  Gary Gum                       Spring, Texas                        39-46--85 +13 

T2  Dodd Clasen                  Minneapolis, Minn.               43-42--85 +13 

Snead (20+)

T1  David Small                    St. Peters, Mo.                      43-45--88 +16 

T1  Jose Carlos Linares         Charles Town, W.V.             43-45--88 +16 

T3  Jason Nogin                    Oceanside, N.Y.                   43-47--90 +18 

T3  Dan Pulsipher                 Rockville, Md.                      47-43--90 +18 

T3  Rhett Simpson                Tampa, Fla.                           47-43--90 +18 

The GCAT National Championships are divided into two events – the Senior National Championship (age 50+), which took place Sept. 18-21, and the Open National Championship, Sept. 24-27.  PGA West’s Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course, Greg Norman Course and TPC Stadium Course join La Quinta Resort & Club’s Mountain Course as host golf courses. La Quinta Resort will serve as the tournament headquarters and host resort for the national championships.  The courses hosted the Golf Channel Am Tour National Championships in 2009 to rave reviews.

            Four players are defending their 2010 national championship titles this week:

• Don O’Connor, Carlsbad, Calif. (Championship Flight)
• Gio Swann, Lauderhill, Fla. (Palmer Flight)
• Mark Perfetuo, Cary, N.C. (Hogan Flight)
• Suneil Aggarwal, Alpharetta, Ga. (Jones Flight)

Also included in the roster of past champions are six golfers from the 2009 GCAT National Championships contested at PGA West, including the youngest competitor in the field: 12-year old Charlie Reiter from Palm Desert, Calif.  At 10, Reiter became the youngest competitor in the history of the GCAT to win a national championship, defeating fellow competitors more than twice his age.

As the largest amateur golf tour in North America with more than 5,000 members, the Golf Channel Am Tour is open to the public and provides the most professional tournament experience for players of all ages and abilities, as well as offering unparalleled access to some of the most renowned and challenging golf courses across the country. For more information about the Golf Channel Am Tour National Championships, including scores, visit www.gcamtour.com