FORMER PANTHER SEARCHING FOR REDEMPTION IN FINAL ROUND

Parker Beaty has been in this position before. This time, he’s looking to right an old wrong. Beaty fired a second-round 65 on Saturday to move into a three-stroke lead in the Odessa Men’s City Championship tournament at Ratliff Ranch Golf Links. For the Permian alum and Odessa College golfer, a strong third round today and a title win over so many familiar faces in the city tournament would surely make for a neat feather in his cap going into his sophomore season with the Wranglers this fall. And, surely, today’s final round offers a chance for Beaty to prove something important to himself on a familiar hometown course. Beaty was in a similar position last summer, leading the same tournament last year going into the final round on Sunday, before he ultimately stumbled on the last day and let the city championship slip away. He’s hoping to correct that this year. “I think last year I just started trying too hard,” Beaty said after his 7-under round on Saturday. “Now, I guess we’ll just see how it goes tomorrow.” Beaty’s shot a 66 on Friday to pair with his 65 on Saturday to give him a two-round 131. Two-time defending tournament winner Ciro Baeza sits second with a 134 — after firing a 66 Friday and a 68 Thursday. Ethan Bozner and Andrew Morales sit tied for third and will round out the final group today, each five back after shooting a two-round 136. Beaty held a one-stroke lead going into the final round of the same tournament last summer, but he shot 6-over in the third round to slip out of first while Baeza claimed his second straight tournament win. Friday, Beaty and Baeza were tied atop the leaderboard of the tournament’s championship flight after the first round, but Beaty pushed ahead Saturday to build his three-stroke lead over the defending champion. “I putted really well,” Beaty said of his play Saturday. “The front nine I kind of struggled to get anything to go in — til about Hole 8. “I was even until Hole 8, and I made a long putt for eagle and kind of got it rolling off of that.” While Beaty cut his Friday score by a stroke on Saturday, Baeza added two strokes in the second round. But, standing on the clubhouse pavilion after finishing that second round, the defending champion said he got what he wanted Saturday, in earning his place in the final group during today’s round. “I knew Parker was going to play good, just like he did last year. I was just going to play my game,” Baeza said. “I’ve said all week, the last two days, that if I play my game and I’m there, that’s what I’m wanting — just that opportunity to be in the last group, to know what the leader’s doing.” Baeza is relishing the challenge from Beaty this year — and relishing the chance to play head-to-head with him, Bozner and Morales in the final group today. “That’s what we play for,” he said. “I’ll embrace it and enjoy every moment.” Morales and Bozner lead fifth place by six strokes. Morales, who is set to play at UTPB this fall, shot a 67 Friday and a 69 Saturday to get his 136. Bozner, who played with Tyler Junior College last season, fired a 67 on Saturday to go with his 69 on Friday. “I’m definitely excited,” Bozner said Saturday. “I’d rather be chasing than being in the lead. “I like the chase. It should be fun tomorrow.” Last summer, Beaty fired a 68 and a 65 in the city championship’s first two rounds, but a disastrous third-round 78 allowed Baeza to win for the second straight year. “Last year I kind of fell apart,” Beaty said. “I feel like I almost had it. I feel like I pretty much gave it away. I mean, Ciro is a good golfer, but I could’ve shot even par and won by one or two. “I think this year, just holding on — it’d be a lot better just to finish.” Baeza, 43, hopes his young rival on the course can do just that, too. “I hope that he takes that and learns from it, and makes it better, because I’ve been through that,” Baeza said Saturday. “Hopefully he learns that early, and he plays good tomorrow — and hopefully I’ll play good tomorrow and we’ll see where it all adds up.”

FORMER PANTHER SEARCHING FOR REDEMPTION IN FINAL ROUND

Photo Credit: Mark Sterkel

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