Jackson County Central graduate Brett Benson is in first place after the first flight of the Northwest Amateur golf tournament.
Benson carded a first-round seven-under 65 today (Thursday) at Spencer Golf and Country Club. He is the defending tournament champion.
Benson became Superintendent of the Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial schools on July 1.
He was a state high school champion at JCC, played college golf and graduated from Jackson State University in Mississippi and won a record 10 club championships at Jackson Golf Club.
Brett’s brother, Scott, won the Northwest Amateur in
Logan Schweinfus (Ossian, Iowa) is second after a six-under 66 and Curtis Holk (Ankeny) is third following a five-under 67.
Four more golfers came in with four-under 68 including Axton Miller (Odebolt, Iowa), who was a student of Benson’s when he taught at OABCIG.
Recent Martin County West graduate Hunter Schmidt (Dunnell) is in a four-way tie for ninth after his opening round two-under 70. Schmidt will be attending MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kan. and playing golf for the Pioneers.
Two other local golfers will play their first round Friday morning. Austin Olson (Jackson) starts at 6:30 a.m. and Connor Anderson (Welcome) has an 8:40 tee time.
Benson’s second round starts at 2:20 p.m. Friday with Schmidt starting at 3 p.m.