Ace Gives Alex Kim CoBank Colorado Open Lead

Alex Kim, photographed in 2011 while at UCLA, leads the CoBank COlorado Open after three rounds.Copyright Don Liebig/ASUCLA
Former UCLA Bruin Alex Kim leads the CoBank Colorado Open by one heading into Sunday.

Alex Kim of Fullerton, CA aced the par-3 8th hole on his way to a record-tying round of 10-under par 62 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the $250,000 CoBank Colorado Open at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. Kim, a UCLA grad who plays on the Adams Pro Tour, amassed nine birdies to pair with his hole-in-one with a single bogey tarnishing his otherwise stellar card.

Kim stands at 18-under 198 which sets a new 54-hole record to par and ties the tournament course scoring record, both set by Derek Tolan in 2009 (198, 15-under through three rounds).

Alone in second is 2005 champion Wil Collins of Rapid City, SD who posted a very respectable 5-under 67 to stand at 17-under 199. Collins, like Kim, shot 10-under 62 on Thursday to set the record matched by Kim today.  Nine players are within five strokes of the lead with the first place prize of $100,000 at stake Sunday.

Another 62 and a hole-in-one wasn’t the end of the excitement on Saturday. James Back of La Palma, CA made a double-eagle 2 on the par-5 12th with a five iron from 216 yards on his way to a 7-under round of 65 and into a tie for 14th overall. Back and Alex Kim play most of their golf at the same course in Southern California, and between them made the third round of the 2016 Colorado Open one of the most memorable in history.

On the amateur side Jake Staiano of Colorado State University leads the competition by two strokes over teammate Dominic Kieffer of Byron, MN. Staiano of Cherry Hills, CO posted a 3-under par 69 and slipped into a tie for 14th overall at 11-under 205 while Kieffer fired a 5-under 67 to move up 15 spots into a tie for 23rd at 9-under 207.

Click here for complete results from today’s round. 

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