CROWDED LEADERBOARD HAS 5 PLAYERS 2 SHOTS OFF THE LEAD, 11 PLAYERS JUST TWO SHOTS BACK
Release Date:
May 17, 2022
Media Contact:
Ryan Woodcock
ANDREW PAISLEY SHOOTS 7-UNDER, TAKES FIRST ROUND LEAD
AT DESERT FINANCIAL OPEN
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Andrew Paisley (Scottsdale, Ariz.) fired a 7-under par 63 and has a two-shot lead after the first round of the 2022 Desert Financial Open Presented by United Rentals at Talking Stick Golf Club. As expected, the leaderboard is crowded after the first round, with 11 players sitting within two shots of Paisley and a total of 20 players just three shots off the lead with 54 holes to play.
Paisley got off to a good start with three birdies on the front nine to make the turn at 3-under par, then added five birdies and just one bogey on the back, including birdies on the final two holes to take the clubhouse lead at 7-under 63.
Jon Trasamer (Blue Earth, Minn.), Austin Lancaster (Hendersonville, Tenn.), and Jere Pelletier (El Paso, Texas) all shot bogey-free rounds and sit T-2 at 5-under 65, along with Riley Wheedon (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Chris Figueroa (Glendale, Ariz.), who also carded 65’s in the first round. Trasamer birdied the final two holes in round one to jump into a tie for second place, while Wheedon made birdie on three of the final six holes to join him two shots back of the leader.
Sitting in third place just three shots back at 4-under are Talon Supak (Tempe, Ariz.), 2019 winner Brady Calkins (Chehalis, Wash.), Perry Cohen (La Jolla, Calif.), Christopher Evans (Bermuda Dunes, Calif.), Griffin Wood (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Matt Marshall (Yamhill, Ore.).
“We are off to a great start, we had great weather and conditions today and the players put up some low scores to get things going,” said Tournament Director Ryan Pray. “This is an extremely competitive field, I expect a lot of movement on the leaderboard over these next two rounds. As these players know, you have to go low all three days to have a chance at the trophy.”
Round two gets underway Wednesday at Talking Stick with the morning wave starting at 7:30 a.m. and afternoon wave at noon. Click here for Second Round tee times and the First Round leaderboard.
In just five years the Desert Financial Credit Union Open Presented by United Rentals is making a name for itself as one of the premier professional golf tournaments in the State of Arizona. The event features a 54-hole tournament with a field of 156 players, with a cut to the low 50 players and ties after 36 holes. The tournament has a guaranteed purse of $125,000 – with $20,000 going to the winner.
The Desert Financial Credit Union Open Presented by United Rentals was created to provide a first-class competitive golf tournament for touring professionals, while also raising money to support Arizona Charities. For more information visit the tournament website at www.DesertFinancialOpen.com.
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ABOUT DESERT FINANCIAL CREDIT UNION
Desert Financial Credit Union, celebrating more than 80 years in Arizona, is the state’s largest local credit union with $6 billion in assets, 350,000+ members and 47 branches. Membership eligibility is open across Arizona with contactless solutions via eBranch, making it easy to call, click or come in. As a not-for-profit cooperative, Desert Financial takes pride in sharing success. In 2020, members received $14 million in dividends via the Member Giveback Bonus, and Desert Financial gave more than $5 million in COVID-19 relief plus donations, scholarships and Random Acts of Kindness to our members, community and team. Learn more about the credit union difference at Desert Financial Credit Union and find news and information @desertfinancial on Twitter.
Desert Financial Foundation is the sole sponsor of the Phoenix Children’s Hospital 1 Darn Cool School Program, which allows patients to experience a traditional classroom setting while in treatment. The accredited teaching staff works with more than 10,000 patients each year in the hospital classroom to help keep children academically on track and alleviate any anxiety about falling behind. 1 Darn Cool School provides year-round individual instruction for all students grades K-12 and even offers various art classes on Fridays known as “Fine Arts Fridays”.
Should patients not be able to leave their beds, teachers are able to visit patient rooms to provide academic assistance. Additionally, the teachers facilitate each patient's transition back to their regular learning environment once they are ready to leave the hospital. Phoenix Children’s Hospital has the distinction of being one of only a handful of hospitals in the country that provides schooling for patients.
