Moyers, Paolini share lead

In Suffolk, Mikey Moyers and Brinson Paolini showed that being 18 years old means that you’re just too young to be tired.

The two teenagers each shot 6-under-par 66 to pace the first day of stroke play qualifying at the 96th VSGA State Am at Cedar Point Country Club.

Moyers won last week’s VSGA Junior Match Play Championship for a third time, claiming four matches in two days and played a combined 37 holes leading up to the championship final, all while trying to shake off a cold.

He had the best round of the afternoon contingent at the VSGA State Am, playing bogey-free with six birdies.

After battling putting problems recently, Moyers seemingly solved those issues in the first round. Starting his round on the course’s back nine, he got off to a good start — his birdie chance at the par-4 10th had enough pace to travel well past the cup, but his ball hit the back of the hole and dropped right in the center.

Moyers knocked in 20-footers for birdie at the par-4 13th as well as the par-5 14th and added a two-putt birdie at the par-5 17th hole. On his closing nine, he dropped in an 8-footer at the par-4 second and recorded his third birdie on a par 5 on the day at No. 6.

“My putting finally came around. I didn’t have lead hands. I was able to lag it when I needed to,” Moyers said. “This is a good place to do it, because the greens are perfect.”

Prior to starting his round, Moyers saw that Paolini shot six under par and his score provided some extra incentive. When he shot four under on his first nine, Moyers knew he had a chance.

“That motivated me because I was thinking I could maybe catch him or beat him — that’s what I kind of set out to do,” Moyers said.

Following today’s second day of stroke play qualifying, the field will be reduced to 32 players for match play.