Jim Williams follows his shot today at Poppy Hills
NCGA Photo

The duo will enter Thursday’s second round holding a one-shot lead over the tandem of Tim Grunsky and Conrad Nilmeier, who also had a great day, shooting 67.

Doug, who hails from Southern California, and Jim, who’s from Orinda, went mistake free, carding five birdies with zero bogeys.

Earlier this month, Jim competed in the inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship with his son, Scott. The two missed the cut for match play by a stroke.Nilmeier, a member at San Joaquin CC and Grunsky, who plays out of Stockton G&CC, had one bogey on the par-3 2nd, but the duo played the rest of their round at 5-under with five birdies.

Two shots off the lead after an opening 68 is the tandem of Harding Park GC member Greg Zipp and Sunil Bhalla of Ruby Hill GC, who penciled in four birdies and a bogey.

Among those within easy striking distance of the leaders are the teams of Casey Boyns and Terry Foreman and Joe Beato and Bill Storey, who each shot opening 69’s to sit at T-4.

Boyns, a four-time NCGA Player of the Year, won this year’s NCGA Senior Championship title back in March. Foreman has also had a solid spring, finishing third at the Alameda Commuters Senior and taking 10th at the NCGA Senior Championship.

Three teams are tied for sixth at 70 including defending champions Mike Staskus and Frank Pieper and the tandem of record four-time defending NCGA Senior Player of the Year Jim Knoll and San Francisco City Senior champ Gary Vanier.

In the inaugural Super Senior Four-Ball Championship, the tandems of Kemp Richardson and James Myers and Herb Jensen and Thomas O’Grady each grabbed a share of the lead after coming in with matching 69’s.Richardson, winner of the 2001 U.S. Senior Amateur, and Myers posted three birdies and a bogey. Jensen, who won last year’s NCGA Super Senior Championship, and O’Grady racked up five birdies but also three bogeys.

Alone in third place is the tandem of Dennis Younglove and Kent Powell, who posted a 71.

Following Thursday’s second round, a cut will be made with the low 22 teams and ties in the Senior Flight and 8 teams and ties in the Super Senior Flight advancing to the final round.

story courtesy Northern California Golf Association

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