Socorro Open ‘putters’ along

The Socorro Open golf tournament continued this week at New Mexico Tech Golf Course, as the Open Pro-Am took place on Wednesday, and the Professional and Amateur Championships got underway on Thursday.

Denver’s Nicholas Mason was atop the pro division leaderboard after Thursday’s opening round as he shot a 6-under-par 66. Mason placed fifth in last year’s Socorro Open.

Eric Chavez of Silver City and Klinton Kreiger from Cheyenne, Wyo., were in a second place tie as both shot a 3-under-par 69. Riley Andrews, from Highlands Ranch, Colo., was in a fourth-place tie with Scottsdale, Ariz., resident Sal Princiotta and Steve Schneiter, from Sandy, Utah. All three shot a first round, 2-under-par 70.

This year’s Socorro Open Senior Professional champion Dan Koesters, from Las Cruces, shot well enough for a seventh-place tie with Pueblo West, Colo., resident Mike Zaremba and Miguel Bautista of Anthony, all shooting a 71.

Defending amateur champion Zach Fullerton of Albuquerque shot a first-round best 8-under-par 64 on Thursday, giving him the lead in the Amateur Championship Flight.

In the Amateur Division’s Flight 1, Johnnie Infante of Las Cruces was in the lead with a score of 67, and Hector Cortez of Corrales was in second at an even 72.

In Flight 2, Socorro’s Roscoe Woods was in first place with a 69, and Albuquerque’s James Jefferies was in second, also shooting an even 72.

Paul Romero and Jordan Martinez, both Socorro residents, were in first and second place, respectively, in Flight 3. Romero shot a 6-under-par 66 and Martinez a 1-under-par 71.

Socorro High School golfer Kristen Cline was in first place in the Junior Flight with a score of 78. Cline was this year’s New Mexico Class 1A-3A state golf champion.

In the open Pro-Am held Wednesday, the team composed of Brandon Myers, Roland Lucero, Ed Ebell and Sharon Hall took first place.

The 2012 Socorro Open will finish up this evening with the conclusion of the Professional and Amateur Championships.

Second and third round scores were not available at El Defensor Chieftain press time on Friday, but full coverage of the tournament will be available at www.dchieftain.com on Sunday morning.