Marcus Byrd captures APGA at TPC Deere Run for third title in special 2023 season
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SILVIS, Ill.– Marcus Byrd continued his memorable 2023 season with a two-stroke victory over a strong field Tuesday, winning the APGA at TPC Deere Run championship with a 9-under par performance over two days of competition.
The 25-year-old from Temple Hill, Maryland (suburban Washington D.C.), expanded his one-stroke lead from Monday’s first round with a five-under 66 to fashion a 67-66-133 for his third victory in just four starts on the 2023 APGA Tour. He held off Chase Johnson of West Palm Beach, Florida, who registered the round of the day with an 8-under 63, playing his last 20 holes in 10 under par. Johnson and Jarred Garcia of Jacksonville tied for second at 7-under 135.
Byrd, 25, started the season by winning the APGA Tour’s prominent season-opening tournament, the APGA Tour Farmers Insurance Invitational at Torrey Pines, and followed that up with an 11-stroke victory at APGA Florida in March. As a result of his stellar play since September, Byrd earned exemptions into three PGA TOUR events (Genesis Invitational, Honda Classic and Wells Fargo Championship), using that experience to hone his skills for all competition.
“The PGA TOUR experience is definitely a huge help. It’s cool to see how hard those guys work. I learned about being calm and to stay within myself,” offered Byrd, who fought off several days of illness before teeing off in the Wells Fargo Championship without having played a practice round. “I overcame adversity there and overall with the PGA TOUR experience, I now understand what I need to do.”
Byrd finished 14th in PGA TOUR Canada Q School in the spring to earn conditional status, so tournaments north of the border are on his schedule in the summer before APGA Tour competition resumes in July.
While he has yet to make a PGA TOUR cut, Byrd fired a one-under par 69 in the second round of the Honda Classic and an even-par 71 on the second day of the Wells Fargo.
Byrd pocketed the $7,500 first prize from the $25,000 purse. The 7,091-yard TPC Deere Run layout will host the PGA TOUR’s John Deere Classic on July 6-9.
Among the Illinois and Chicago region players, Alec Martinez of Orland Park shot 69-72-141 for 9th place; Varun Chopra of Champaign shot 75-68-143, finishing 13th; Mulbe Dillard of Hyde Park shot 72-74-146, good for 21st place; and Christian Heavens from Fairview Heights shot 74-75-149, finishing in 29th position.
APGA at TPC Deere Run also marked the debut of 2023 Cisco Junior Series competition with Jayden Lizama of Elk Grove, California taking first place with a 71-73-144. Toa Ogahengaue of Salt Lake City, Utah shot 73-75-148, good for 2nd place; and Roman Solomon of Sarasota, Florida, placed third with a 75-75-150. Fourth went to Morgan Riley of Raleigh, North Carolina (72-82-154) and fifth went to DJ Belcher of Simpsonville, South Carolina (80-80-160).
In the girls competition, Staci Pla of West Palm Beach, Florida won with a 71-74-145, topping Lydia Portlock of San Antonio, Texas (75-75-150). Callia Ward of Albuquerque, New Mexico, shot 76-77-153 for third place, Blayne Brown of Riverside, California shot 72-81-153 for fourth and Sophia Lauture of Concord, North Carolina finished fifth with an 83-74-157.
The Cisco Junior Series consists of four competitions at APGA Tour events with the under-18 minority players competing for opportunities to tee it up at APGA Tour and other events. The program includes an Elite Player Combine presented by ADP with a clinic and reception featuring expert input on skills development and how to pursue college scholarships. The series resumes August 14-15 at the Mastercard APGA Tour Championship at TPC Sugarloaf in Atlanta.
The APGA Tour is back in action in July, heading to Louisville, Kentucky, for APGA Tour at Valhalla on July 23-25. One of the most prominent venues in the sport, Valhalla Golf Club will host the 2024 PGA Championship.