Opening Round Leaders Maintain Position Atop Leaderboard After Round 2 of Senior Amateur Championships
FAYETTEVILLE, N.Y. -- Moving into the final day, select players will make their mark in attempt to claim either the 2015 New York State Men’s Senior Amateur title or the 2015 New York State Men's Super-Senior Amateur title at Onondaga Golf and Country Club.
In the 59th N.Y.S. Men’s Senior, Don Enga maintained his position atop the leaderboard after posting a 2-over 73 in second round action for a two round total of 143. Positioned two strokes behind is Stewart McGough (Bellevue CC) at 145 (75-70), after carding the low today of 1-under 70. Alongside McGough is Michael Naton (Tuscarora GC) who posted a 73 yesterday and a 72 today.
Enga made the turn under par, but faltered slightly on the backside after bogeying four holes. “ I just missed a few short putts, which I made yesterday,” said Enga. “ Tomorrow I need to make more birdies. Hitting the ball is important, but it comes down to the putting,” he continued.
McGough moved up the leaderboard quite a bit today with his stellar play. After a bogie on the par-4 1st (his 10th hole), he grinded out two consecutive birdies to march his way through the back nine and notched a total of four birdies on the day. On the long uphill par-4 2nd, he hit a 5 wood to about 15 feet and glided the putt in for birdie. On the next hole, he hit it to 8 feet and sunk another birdie.
This was the first under-par round McGough's had all season. “I made an adjustment to my putting about ten days ago. I went back to my old high school and college approach and setup and I’ve been putting tremendously.”
Still within reach is Joe Valvo (2015 NYSGA Associate Member) who’s been quietly consistent. He posted 73’s both days to leave him only 3-strokes off the mark at 146.
Things have spread out quite a bit after a bundle of competitors sat at 75 or 76 after the first round. Besides McGough, the only other player to emerge from that group was Tom Fletcher (Tuscarora GC) who carded a 72 today to place himself into fifth at 147.
For the Senior Amateur, the cut fell at 159 and 48 players moved into the final round.
In the 20th N.Y.S. Men’s Super-Senior Amateur Championship, yesterday’s leader Woody Arnold holds his position in the clubhouse after two rounds. Arnold finished today two strokes higher and carded a 3-over 74, totaling 146 over two days.
The defending champion Randy Young’s round concluded with another 74 totaling 148, just two strokes behind the leader. Tied with him is John Hathway (2015 NYSGA Associate Member) who matched Young’s scores both days.
Arnold started with a birdie on his first hole but was unable to produce another the rest of his round. Despite missing a few pars, he was able to avoid any major mistakes and retain the lead he had after an impressive opening round 72.
Young (Bellevue CC) feels quite content playing a state championship on his home turf here in Syracuse. “It’s a comfort level that you don’t have sometimes in other places.”
Hathway has finished in the top ten at the Super-Senior in the both of the last two years. He closed tied for tenth at Normanside Country Club in 2013 and was tied for fifth at Cedar Lake Club last year.
The cut line for the Super-Senior fell at 163 with 25 players moving into the final round. Tee times will begin at 8:00am and run until 9:30am with players starting on both tees (#1 and #10).
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Dan Thompson, NYSGA Intern