Oklahoma State's Oyo Fires 65 at Windsong to Open 117th Trans-Miss Amateur

July 7, 2021 | 5 min.

 
By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  INDEPENDENCE, Minn. – Carding three birdies over his final four holes Tuesday helped Oklahoma State University golfer Shiryu (Leo) Oyo to a round of 6-under 65 to open the 117th Trans-Mississippi Amateur Championship at Windsong Farm with a one-stroke lead.
 
Oyo will begin Wednesday’s second round one shot ahead of Louisiana’s Derek Busby.
 
“I hit the ball really well today, which I think is the key to playing well here,” Oyo said after his round Tuesday. “The fairways are fairly tight and you’ve got the nasty long stuff along the sides. It forces you to keep the ball straight and in play, which I did pretty well today.
 
“[My game] is getting to a really comfortable spot for me. I came off a year I didn’t do very well and the whole year has been a huge learning experience for me. It’s been about finding my comforts and discomforts; what I need to do in order to play my best golf.”
 
Tuesday’s opening round was delayed an hour due to inclement weather and players faced intermittent rain and soft conditions for the duration of the opening round.
 
Entering the week ranked No. 118 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, Oyo began his first round on the back nine Tuesday and took advantage of the conditions on the opening day of play by carding back-to-back birdies early on his front nine.
 
Oyo, a native of Tokyo, Japan, gave a stroke back with a bogey at the 15th, but would close out his front nine with a birdie at the 17th followed by an eagle at the 18th to turn in 4-under.
 
Even through five holes on his back nine Tuesday, Oyo would quickly climb the leaderboard with back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh, where he dropped his putt from 40 feet, before rolling in a 4-footer at the par-5 ninth to take the lead after 18 holes with a 6-under 65.    
 
“Today showed that I’m doing something right, and this last year, that’s what I was trying to find,” Oyo said. “I felt like I found it and I’ve just got to keep doing that.”
 
Entering his senior season at Oklahoma State this fall, Oyo won The Prestige at PGA West in 2020 and claimed three top-10 finishes.
 
Busby, a 37-year-old native of Ruston, La., carded a lone bogey during his opening nine Tuesday before a string of three consecutive birdies to open his inward nine quickly put him in contention.
 
Rolling in a final birdie at the par-4 17th from 15 feet, Busby held the clubhouse lead at 5-under 66 until he was eclipsed by Oyo’s 65 late Tuesday.
 
“I really struck it nicely and made a couple par saves, an 8-footer and a 10-footer, to keep momentum going. I really controlled my irons well all day,” Busby said Tuesday. “Certainly 66 is a good round, I’d never complain about it, but at the turn I probably left two or three out there and I was a little frustrated.
 
“I’ve played very sparingly in the summer. This year we made a commitment that I want to get ready for the U.S. Amateur this year, and the only way to do that is to play events. This is my third event in five weeks, which is probably the most golf I’ve played in 10 years. I’m tournament-ready this year versus showing up trying to find it.”
 
A former Louisiana Tech golfer, Busby claimed the 2017 Louisiana Golf Association Amateur Championship and added the LGA Mid-Amateur Championship to his dossier two years later, becoming the sixth player in state history to win both events.
 
Connor McKinney, a 19-year-old Australian, carded a 4-under 67 Tuesday and will begin the second round tied for third along with University of Cincinnati golfer Sam Jean and the University of Kansas’ Cooper Davis.
 
University of Minnesota golfer Connor Glynn led all Minnesotans at the championship Tuesday, firing a 3-under 68 to finish the first round of play tied for sixth. Edina High School alum and Miami University golfer Jack Ebner used his home-course knowledge to post a 2-under 69 to sit in a tie for 12th.
 
Former Blake School standout and current Pepperdine University golfer Derek Hitchner carded a round of 1-under 70 Tuesday, while former Gopher and two-time Minnesota State Open champion Ben Greve finished the first round tied for 39th at 1-over 72.
 
Jim Lehman, who finished runner-up the last time Minnesota hosted the championship in 2007 at The Minikahda Club, posted a 2-over 73 and will begin the second round of play tied for 55th with Minnesotan Andrew Israelson and former Minnetonka High School golfer Ben Sigel.
 
The 117th Trans-Mississippi Amateur Championship continues Wednesday when the second round gets under way at 8 a.m. at Windsong Farm.
 
 
 
THE 117TH TRANS-MISSISSIPPI AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
WINDSONG FARM
INDEPENDENCE, MINN.
7,191 YARDS, PAR 71
 
 
TUESDAY’S FIRST ROUND RESULTS
1. Shiryu (Leo) Oyo, Japan, 33-32—65
2. Derek Busby, United States, 34-32—66
T3. Connor McKinney, Australia, 32-35—67
T3. Sam Jean, United States, 35-32—67  
T3. Cooper Davis, United States, (-4, thru 15)
T6. Henry Shimp, United States, 34-34—68
T6. Jansen Preston, United States, 33-35—68
T6. Noah Gillard, United States, 32-36—68
T6. CONNOR GLYNN, WACONIA, MINN., 32-36—68
T6. Christian Banke, United States, 35-33—68
T6. Tommy Kuhl, United States, 34-34—68
 
T12. JACK EBNER, EDINA, MINN., 34-35—69
T23. DEREK HITCHNER, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., 35-35—70
T39. HARRY PLOWMAN OLLINGTON, U OF MINN., 37-35—72
T39. EDUARDO GALDOS, U OF MINN., 37-35—72
T39. BEN GREVE, EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN., 36-36—72
T55. ANDREW ISRAELSON, STAPLES, MINN., 36-37—73
T55. JIM LEHMAN, MINNETRISTA, MINN., 36-37—73
T55. BEN SIGEL, DEEPHAVEN, MINN., 39-34—73
T55. LINCOLN JOHNSON, CHASKA, MINN., 35-38—73
T55. DAVID MORGAN, ROCHESTER, MINN., 33-40—73
T75. BEN WARIAN, STILLWATER, MINN., 34-40—74
T90. VAN HOLMGREN, PLYMOUTH, MINN., 37-38—75
T104. THOMAS LONGBELLA, U OF MINN., 35-41—76
T104. TRISTAN NELKO, PLYMOUTH, MINN., 37-39—76
T127. BRADY HOLLAND, ELK RIVER, MINN., 39-39—78
 
 
For complete tournament results go to:  www.golfgenius.com/pages/6842310089806722837
 
 

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