Alex Martin, Ethan Tracy share 3rd-round lead at Ohio Amateur

DAYTON (AP) — On a day when the defending champion was off his game and a 15-year-old kid hung near the lead, Alex Martin and Ethan Tracy rose to the top at the Ohio Amateur.

Martin shot a 2-under 70 and Tracy had a 71 to share the lead at 2-under 214 through Thursday’s third round at Moraine Country Club.

Vaughn Snyder, who came back to win at Findlay Country Club last year, and Huber Heights Wayne sophomore-to-be Michael Bernard are also in the mix of what has become a tournament with a lot of subplots.

Martin, who will be a senior on Indiana’s team, said he hoped to stay away from all the drama.

“I’m going to try and not pay attention to all of that,” the Middletown native said. “The course is going to be playing tougher tomorrow — they’ll probably set up the pins even tougher. They’re trying to make it so that there’s maybe only one player under par, much like it was last year and the two years before that. I need to keep my goals to shooting something around par or better and not watch anybody else.”

Asked how he liked being on top, Tracy said, “I like it. Alex Martin’s a great player. I’m looking forward to playing with him tomorrow. He’s really playing well right now. I’m going to have to play well to beat him.”

Tracy played this past May for Arkansas, which lost to Texas A&M in the Division I men’s national championship match at Inverness Club in Toledo.

Lucas Murray, transferring from Mount Union to Akron this fall, led after each of the first two days but he made a double-bogey on the final hole for a 74 to finish a shot back.

“I really didn’t get any good breaks today,” he said. “Maybe I’m saving up for tomorrow. If I get a couple of good breaks, I could easily shoot 70.”

Bernard, a 15-year-old sophomore-to-be at Huber Heights Wayne High School, had a 72 and was at 216.

Told he was all alone in fourth place, two shots off the lead, Bernard was shocked.

“Oh, wow. I wouldn’t have thought that,” said the kid who had a 4.47 grade-point average as a freshman at Wayne. “I’m pretty excited about that. I’m definitely in a good position with a chance to win.”

It is believed he would be the youngest Ohio Am winner ever, if he were to pull off the feat.

Playing partner Jeff Scohy, a 31-year-old former military man, was impressed with Bernard’s poise.

“He’s good, man. He has a great future,” Scohy said. “He hits it good, putts it good and doesn’t get flustered.”

Snyder was at 218 after sagging to a 75.