PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — High winds and firm ground set the tone for the opening round of the Senior Amateur Championship, but with the sun beaming down, there was no better place to be than on the golf course.
One-hundred and forty-four Senior amateurs teed it up today, all with the hopes of being named the 64th Amateur Champion. Seventy-two players went off in the morning wave, while the other half would be held off until the afternoon. Here’s what happened:
What Happened?
Hall of Fame inductee, Joe Alfieri set the pace early during the morning wave, making the turn at 2-under-par (69). A bogey on the 11th briefly dropped him to one-under, but he bounced back with a birdie on the 16th to finish at 2-under and claim the clubhouse lead as the afternoon rounds began.
Ponte Vedra Inn & Club provided very difficult green complexes, keeping scores in check throughout the day. The closest morning challenger to Alfieri was Alan Pope, who carded an even-par (71).
As the afternoon wave teed off, increasing winds added to the course’s difficulty. When the final putt dropped, Alfieri’s 2-under stood alone at the top, good enough for a two-shot lead heading into the second round. He was the only player in the 144-man field to break par.
Former champion Miles McConnell made a strong recovery after three consecutive bogeys on holes 3, 4, and 5, battling back to finish at even par and join the tie for second.
Alan Pope, Bob Mathers, and Miles McConnell all would share second place with even par (71), followed by Ryan Howison, Brad Steven, and former champion, Michael McCoy, who all turned in at 1-over (72).
What’s Next?
Round two tee times run from 7:45–9:25 AM and 12:30–2:20 PM off both #1 and #10. The field will be cut to the low 60 and ties by day’s end.
