John Armstrong (Twitter photo)
BLUFFTON, S.C. (Oct. 24, 2018) – John Armstrong held on to his second-round lead and took the title at the U.S. Super Senior National Championship. Armstrong dove under 70 for the first time this week at Berkeley Hall Club, using a 4-under 68 to pull away from the field.
Armstrong, of Frostburg, Md., was 4 under on his opening nine, and then added a fifth birdie at the par-5 10th. His only bogey of the day came at No. 14, and it knocked him back to 68. Still, it was more than enough to allow Armstrong to defend his title in this event.
Besides Armstrong, the only other player to break 70 on Wednesday – and all week, for that matter -- was first-round leader Evan Long. The Charlotte, N.C., native had a 69 on Wednesday that bumped him into second place at 2-over 218. He shared that spot with Dale Porter of Leland, N.C.
Robin Rubrecht was alone in fourth at 9 over and four players tied for fifth at 10 over.
Jim Rollefson won the Legend division with steady rounds of 73-72-75 for a 4-over 220 total. He was one shot ahead of Frank Costanzo.
ROUND TWO
John Armstrong’s second-round scorecard wasn’t very colorful, but that was a good thing. Armstrong had just three birdies, one bogey and a whole lot of pars Tuesday at Berkeley Hall Club on his way to a 2-under 70. That round left him atop the Super Senior division at this week’s U.S. Super Senior National Championship in the Lowcountry.
Armstrong had an opening 75 that was unspectacular on a day when several rounds near par crowded the top of the leaderboard. But Armstrong’s second-round effort will give him a two-shot lead entering Wednesday’s final round. Armstrong, of Frostburg, Md., is also going for a title defense after winning this event last year at the Walt Disney World Palm Course.
Dale Porter trails Armstrong at 3 over after his second-round 75. Porter got on fire in the middle of his round, logging three consecutive birdies from Nos. 7-9, but couldn’t keep it going. He bogeyed three of the first four holes on the back nine.
Howie Knodt and Robin Rubrecht are tied for third at 4 over. A group of three players tied for fifth at 5 over includes first-round leader Evan Long, who followed a first-round 71 with a second-round 78.
In the legends division, Jim Rollefson overtook first-round leader Jim de Leon with his second-round score of even-par 72. De Leon slipped from 72 to 74 in the second round, and is now tied for second with George Washburn.
ROUND ONE RECAP
Evan Long was the only player to get under par Monday in the opening round of the U.S. Super Senior National Championship. It left Long, of Charlotte, N.C., with an early one-shot lead.
Long’s day got off to a perfect start when he went birdie-birdie to open at Berkeley Hall. He added two bogeys and one more birdie in the following 16 holes. Long leads Dale Porter by one shot in the Super Senior division and Pete Allen by two shots. Both players also hail from North Carolina.
A group of three golfers are tied for fourth after an opening 2-over 74. That includes Rick Herpich of Orchard Lake, Minn., John Osborne of Vero Beach, Fla., and Charley Yandell of North Carolina.
Paul Schlachter, who has won 16 Pennsylvania Golf Association titles over his long career, had 3-over 75 and is in a tie for seventh. Defending champion John Armstrong is also part of that group.
In the Legend division, Jim de Leon of Bluffton, S.C., leads after an even-par 70 that was sprinkled with six birdies (including two in his opening two holes, like Long), four bogeys and a double bogey.
De Leon leads a group of three players at 1 over that includes Jim Rollefson, George Owens and George Washburn.
View results for Golfweek Super Senior National Championship
ABOUT THE Golfweek Super Senior National Championship
Started in 2017, this tournament features the world's
elite super-senior amateurs (age 65+) and will include
separate legends (70+) and super legends (75+)
divisions. Max handicap 8.0.
View Complete Tournament Information