Julian Suri surges to APGA Tour lead in his backyard
2 Min Read
ST. AUGUSTINE, FL - JULY 09: during the first round of an APGA Tour event on the Slammer & Squire Course at World Golf Village on July 9, 2020 in Saint Augustine, Florida. (Photo by Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
Written by Staff
Former European Tour winner and local St. Augustine resident Julian Suri has surged to the lead after the first round of the Advocates Pro Golf Association Tour tournament at the Slammer & Squire Course of the World Golf Village.
MORE ON APGA TOUR: Dent following in father's footsteps | College star sees APGA as key to next level
Suri, who grew up just a short drive from the World Golf Village and was a two-time Florida state high school champion before becoming an All-American at Duke University, notched up six birdies and two eagles during a sublime 10-under 62 on Thursday.
The 29-year-old leads by two over Georgia’s Tim O’Neal (64) while Kentuckian Patrick Newcomb sits third in the 36-hole event after his round of 65. Cincinnati’s Kevin Hall, who lost his hearing as a toddler, is part of a tie for fifth at 4-under.
Suri, an American with both Indian and Mexican heritage, had a huge 2017 where he won on the secondary Challenge Tour in Europe in May before taking out the Made In Demark event on the European Tour in August.
After a T19 finish in the 2018 PGA Championship, Suri reached a peak of 60th in the world but has slipped back to 265th after battling through some nagging injuries, including a hernia. His best PGA TOUR finish from 13 career starts was a T8 at the 2018 Houston Open.
O’Neal, who won the APGA event earlier this year at Torrey Pines that was played during the Farmers Insurance Open, had eight birdies and an eagle that were only offset by two bogeys.
The 47-year-old veteran African American has played seven TOUR events over the last few decades, his last as the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption player at the 2019 Genesis Invitational.
The APGA was established in 2010 as a non-profit organization with the mission to bring greater diversity to the game of golf. In addition to conducting up to eight tournaments awarding $250,000 in prize money annually, the APGA conducts the Charlie Sifford Player Development Program to aid young minority golfers.