Robert Funk (L) and Matt Sughrue (R) sit a 1-under with
a good chance to make the cut and play the weekend
PEABODY, MA (June 29, 2017) -
Robert Funk of Canyon Lake, CA and
Matt Sughrue of Arlington, VA both shot one-under-par 69s in the opening round of the U.S. Senior Open at Salem Country Club. They were the best rounds of the 20 amateurs in the field.
Related: U.S. Senior Open: Tee Times for the 20 Ams in the Field
They got there in different ways. Funk was two over through thirteen holes and finished fast, making birdies on 14, 16, and 18. Sughrue started hotter, making three straight birdies on the front nine, but cooled off with two bogeys coming in.
No other amateur in the field broke or matched par.
Joe McCormick of Hutchinson, MN and
Mike Finster of St. Petersburg, FL were the next low ams at two-over 72.
Chip Lutz of Reading, PA who was the only amateur to make the cut at last year's U.S. Senior Open at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, OH, shot a four-over 74.
After Friday's round, the field will be cut to the low 60 and ties.
Amateur Leaderboard
69 (T34) Robert Funk, Canyon Lake, CA
69 (T34) Matt Sughrue, Arlington, VA
72 (T72) Joe McCormick, Hutchinson, MN
72 (T72) Mike Finster, St. Petersburg, FL
73 (T85) Tim Hogarth, Northridge, CA
73 (T85) Dave Ryan, Taylorville, IL
74 (T96) Chip Lutz, Reading, PA
75 (T110) Ken Palladino, Dunedin, FL
76 (T122) Todd Hendley, Greer, SC
76 (T122) Claud Cooper, Birmingham, AL
76 (T122) Allan Small, Savannah, GA
77 (T139) T.J. Brudzinski, Columbus, OH
79 (T148) Mike McCoy, Des Moines, IA
79 (T148) Larry Salk, Fairfax, CA
79 (T148) Scott Livingston, Rogers, AR
79 (T148) Steven Fink, Las Vegas, NV
81 (T152) David Schmidt, Wytheville, VA
81 (T152) Daniel Russo, Hagaman, NY
81 (T152) George Zahringer, New York, NY
82 (156) Charlie Post, Castle Rock, CO
ABOUT THE U.S. Senior Open
The U.S. Senior Open is one of 14 national
championships conducted by the USGA. Open
to amateurs and professionals who have
reached
their 50th birthday as of the first day of the
championship.
The Senior Open was
first
played in 1980 with a purse of, get this, just
$100,000. Roberto Vincenzo of Argentina was
the
inaugural champion (winning $20,000), and
Arnold
Palmer was a popular winner the following year
in
1981 at Oakland Hills.
View Complete Tournament Information