(Story taken from the Savannah (Ga.) Morning News)

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Chris Morris headed to the Wilmington Island Club for a round of golf on Saturday morning, not knowing where he was going to stay the night.

While such a predicament could have been a distraction, Morris focused on his play in the second round of the 27th annual Oglethorpe Invitational, regarded as Savannah's top amateur tournament.

"Driving to the course, I thought it was going to be a good day," said Morris, 20. "I felt positive vibes."

He felt right. Morris surged from a tie for 23rd place (1-under-par 70) after Round 1 to the top of the leaderboard with a 10-under 61, smashing the course (63) and tournament (64) records.

"It's a culmination of all my hard work this summer," said Morris, who thinks his previous best in a tournament was 64 while playing for Centre College in Danville, Ky., where he is a rising junior. "I put in a lot of hours. I hadn't seen a lot of (positive) results."

He needed every positive outcome to manage a one-stroke lead on Savannah's Mark Silvers, whose relentless pursuit of his first Oglethorpe title included a second consecutive 66 for a total of 10-under 132 with today's final round to play.

Morris, of Maysville, Ky., was one of the last to register for this tournament, and he booked a room at one of the international hotel chains in downtown Savannah. After two nights, Morris checked out Saturday because he didn't want to run up his father's credit card bill any more than he had to.

Finding more economical lodging would wait until after Saturday's round. There was golf to play for Morris, an NCAA Division III third-team All-America last season at Centre.

His bogey-free round featured 10 birdies and eight pars. He birdied all three par-5 holes (Nos. 4, 12, 14) as well as Nos. 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 15 and 16.

"I think I had him beat (on any hole) once all day," said playing partner Doug Hanzel of Savannah, who leads the 50-and-older senior division at 70-67-137. "(Morris) hit pretty good and made everything. That's a good combination."

Morris thanked his partners Hanzel and David Poteet of Duluth for supporting him through the best round of his life. Morris began thinking about the lofty number 59 after the birdie at 15 before steadying himself.

"I didn't get ahead of myself," Morris said. "I swung well. I didn't hit a bad shot all day long."

He nearly had a birdie at No. 17, leaving the putt straight on but short. At No. 18, his long birdie putt lipped out, leaving a tap-in for a record 61.

"That's very impressive," said Rob Simmons of Beaufort, S.C., tied with Georgia Tech's Bo Andrews and Augusta State's Mitch Krywulycz for third at 7 under, four strokes behind. "I've got to shoot probably 6 under to have a chance. It's doable."

Silvers called Morris' round "awesome," and said very low scores are possible on this course for those who put themselves in good positions to hit wedges and putts well.

"I haven't been getting myself in trouble," said Silvers, 22, a Savannah Country Day and University of South Carolina graduate. "I haven't been striking it great. I've been missing in the right places."

His lone bogey was a three-putt on No. 11, which was more than counterbalanced by birdies at Nos. 3, 5, 12, 14, 15 and 16.

"I feel good. I just need to keep doing the same things I've been doing," said Silvers, who will be paired at 9:30 this morning with Morris and Krywulycz of Sydney, Australia.

"I've been really good the last two days not worrying about what everybody else is doing," Silvers said. "I'll do the same thing (in the final round), and, hopefully, it'll work out."

Notes

The cut at 60 and ties came at 145, compared to 151 in 2008 ... Among those surviving were Savannah father and son golfers John Skeadas II (141) and III (145), as well as past champions Hanzel, Danny Nelson (144) and Jack Hall (139)... Joe Young of Cochran had tied the old single-round record with a 64 earlier Saturday ... This year, the event is part of the Skeadas Cup regional circuit. Season leader Blaine Bunch of Savannah has 121 points, with Ryan Zabroske of Alpharetta at 120. Zabroske is at 136, Bunch at 139 after two rounds.

Oglethorpe Invitational

Today's final-round pairings with second-round scores
at Wilmington Island Club

First Tee
8:00 a.m. - Logan Blondell, Lakeland, FL 141
John Skeadas II, Savannah 141
Brandon Hagy, Westlake Village, CA 141

8:09 a.m. - Jordan Johnstun, Evans 140
Chris Wolfe, Warner Robins 140
Nick Stiles, Athens 141

8:18 a.m. - John Stembridge, Norcross 140
David Poteet, Duluth 140
Brian Richey, Lakeland, FL 140

8:27 a.m. - Allen Koon, Anderson, SC 140
Scott Weeks, Savannah 140
Billy Mitchell, Roswell 140

8:36 a.m. - Patrick Rada, Anderson, SC 139
Ken Looper, Mandeville, LA 139
Hap Kaufold, Vidalia 140

8:45 a.m. - Jason Cohan, Savannah 139
Matt Kocolowski, Apopka, FL 139
Blaine Bunch, Savannah 139

8:54 a.m. Ren Han, Shenzhen, China 138
Joe Young, Cochran 139
Jack Hall, Sea Island 139

9:03 a.m. - Spencer Fulford, Rocky Mount, NC 137
Andrew Workman, The Woodlands, TX 137
Bill Jones III, Covington 138

9:12 am - Jeff Knox, Augusta 136
Matthew Harvey, Georgetown, TX 136
Doug Hanzel, Savannah 137

9:21 a.m. - Rob Simmons, Beaufort, SC 135
Bo Andrews, Raleigh, NC 135
Ryan Zabroske, Alpharetta 136

9:30 a.m. - Chris Morris, Maysville, KY 131
Mark Silvers, Savannah 132
Mitch Krywulycz, Sydney, Australia 135

10th Tee
8:00 a.m. - Michael Assey, Mt. Pleasant, SC 141
Carter Newman, Augusta 141

8:09 a.m. - Justin Wylie, Waxhaw, NC 141
Wesley Graham, Port Orange, FL 141
Michael Rafalowicz, Doral, FL 141

8:18 a.m. - Seth Parmer, Bowdon 142
Jonathan Bowden, Easley, SC 142
Travis Mobley, Hinesville 142

8:27 a.m. - Dean Hester, Dublin 142
Wills Smith, Savannah 142
Brad Jones, Augusta 142

8:36 a.m. - Chris Johnson, Brunswick 143
Clint Tolleson, Spartanburg, SC 143
Tripp Kuhlke, Augusta 143

8:45 a.m. - Taylor Smith, Mansfield 143
Matthew Hayes, Marietta 143
Ryan Parker, Lake Park 143

8:54 a.m. - Matt Deal, Statesboro 144
Dustin Allen, Savannah 144
Tripp Coggins, Savannah 143

9:03 a.m. - Jeffrey Cammon, St. Simons Island 144
Ryan Chitwood, Alto 144
Brad Arrington, Evans 144

9:12 a.m. - Paul Haley, Dallas, TX 145
Patrick McCormick, Weston, FL 145
Danny Nelson, Savannah 144

9:21 a.m. - Michael McKinley, Dallas, TX 145
Kent Crymes, Athens 145
John Skeadas, III, Savannah 145

Failed to make cut

Andy Gianoukos, Charleston, SC 146
Jonathan Jenkins, Jonesboro 146
Kevin Cooper, Tallahassee, FL 146
Lee Knox, Augusta 146
Matthew Motes, Augusta 146
Ryan Lefevre, Boca Raton, FL 146
Trevor Sahn, Bronxville, NY 146
Joe Monte, Chantilly, VA 147
Kevin Benstead, Boxford, MA 147
Kyle Collins, Milledgeville 147
Ryan Thornton, Chattanooga, TN 147
Andres Pumariega, Miami, FL 148
Brendan Gillins, Savannah 148
Rob Bennett, Augusta 148
Thomas Mathiassen, Roswell 148
Toshi Hirata, Pooler 148
Grant Rafield, Birmingham, AL 149
John Gregory Joseph, Valdosta 149
Mace Green, Charlotte, NC 149
Scott Melton, Ringold 149
Bayley Craig, Eatonton 150
Colt Crymes, Athens 150
James Amick, Spartanburg, SC 150
Kevin Richmond, Savannah 150
Sterling Hale, Atlanta 150
Tanner Smith, Alpharetta 150
Taylor Adams, St. Simons Island 150
Taylor Floyd, Macon 150
Todd Kohout, Atlanta 150
Adam Cohan, Savannah 151
Robbie Morrice, Roswell 151
Ryan Wilson, Pooler 151
Chris Holland, Savannah 152
Doug Stiles, Athens 152
James Baker IV, Atlanta 152
TJ Mitchell, Albany 152
Tommy Chu, Savannah 152
Drew Aimone, Savannah 153
Jacob Tilton, Evans 154
Jay Woodward, Bridgeport, WV 154
Shane Sasser, Pooler 154
Clint Smith, Baldwin 155
Collin Ho, Albany 155
Greg Greenbaum, Atlanta 156
Michael Lewis, St. Simons Island 156
Frank Costanzo, Savannah 157
Stevie Cannady, Pooler 158
Riley Baxter, Townsend 159
Al Edwards, Charlotte, NC 162
Jeff Kirk, Savannah 163
Jason Groover, Savannah 165
Jim Weeks, Savannah 165
Doug McManamy, Savannah 166
Devin Patel, Celebration, FL 167
James Field, Jr., Pinecrest, FL WD

Leaderboard

After 2 of 3 rounds

1. Chris Morris 70-61-131 (-11)
2. Mark Silvers 66-66-132 (-10)
3. Bo Andrews 64-71-135 (-7)
3. Mitch Krywulycz 68-67-135
3. Rob Simmons 67-68-135