Calkins, Harding tied atop California Senior Amateur leaderboard

COSTA MESA, Calif. — With cooler temperatures and windy conditions low scores were hard to come by Tuesday at Mesa Verde CC during the second round of the 2015 California Senior Amateur Championship. Just three men were able to shoot rounds under par, with all taking advantage of the opportunity to move up the leaderboard. Two-thirds of the way through the Championship two Southern California residents find themselves sitting tied for first place, with Craig Calkins of Manhattan Beach and Mark Harding of Hermosa Beach each looking to win their first state championship. Calkins backed up his opening round 69 with an even par 71, while Harding Monday's 72 with Tuesday's low round of 68. The men find themselves at 2-under par heading into Wednesday's final round, which will welcome 33 players who made the 36-hole cut. Within striking distance, however, sit three big names just two strokes off the lead. NCGA juggernaut Randy Haag, Big Canyon CC member Don DuBois and former SCGA Mid-Amateur Champion John McClure find themselves at even par through Round 2. Among those to miss the cut was defending champion John Pate. 2013 Champion Jim Knoll sits T13, 7 strokes off the lead. In the North/South Challenge Cup, a team competition (best three scores out of four) held between the SCGA and NCGA over the first two days of the championship, the SCGA grabbed its first win since 2007, defeating its northern counterparts 434-444. The SCGA was represented by Michael Turner, John Pate, 2015 SCGA Senior Amateur Champ Gary Vanier and two-time SCGA Senior Champ Jeff Burda. The NCGA was represented by Dale Bouguennec, Casey Boyns, Terry Foreman and record five-time NCGA Senior Player of the Year Jim Knoll.