Noah Naugle of Nixa shot a strong 6-under-par 65, claiming a commanding lead after the first round of the AbbiAtti Invitational on Monday at the Carthage Golf Course.
Naugle’s bogey-free performance, highlighted by six birdies, placed him four strokes ahead of the field, setting the stage for an exciting final round.
Ben Roche trailed in second with a solid 2-under 69. Tied for third at 1-under 70 were Carl Junction’s Jack Spencer and Logan Lowry, and Republic’s Cason Bekemier. The trio was five shots back.
Monett’s Jaxon Bailey and Riley Franklin shared sixth place at even-par 71, both carding consistent rounds to stay within striking distance. Will Johnston and Ayden Willoughby followed closely, tying for eighth with 1-over 72 scores, while Tyler Davis rounded out the top 10 with a 74.
The 75s of Noah Schiman and Peyton Talley landed them in a tie for 11th, while Ryder Edmands held 13th alone at 77. Austen Baker and Drew Smith completed the top 15, tying for 14th with 78s, still within reach of a high finish with a strong final round.
On the team front, Nixa took first, while Carl Junction and Rogersville followed in second and third, respectively, with Republic and Monett rounding out the top five.
Top 15 Individual Leaderboard:
Noah Naugle – 65 (-6)
Ben Roche – 69 (-2) T3. Jack Spencer – 70 (-1) T3. Logan Lowry – 70 (-1) T3. Cason Bekemier – 70 (-1) T6. Jaxon Bailey – 71 (E) T6. Riley Franklin – 71 (E) T8. Will Johnston – 72 (+1) T8. Ayden Willoughby – 72 (+1)
Tyler Davis – 74 (+3) T11. Noah Schiman – 75 (+4) T11. Peyton Talley – 75 (+4)
Ryder Edmands – 77 (+6) T14. Austen Baker – 78 (+7) T14. Drew Smith – 78 (+7)