Another Big Finish Gives Schmid Lead in Senior Club Pro Championship

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- For the second day in a row, Jeffrey Schmid made an impressive run down the stretch, and it propelled him into the 36-hole lead at the 2020 Senior PGA Professional (Club Pro) Championship. 

In Thursday's opening round, the 52-year-old former University of Iowa star (he won six college tournaments in his four years with the Hawkeyes, including the 1988 Gopher Invitational at Hazeltine National) was actually more than impressive on the back nine at the PGA Club's Wanamaker Course (par 72). After playing the first 12 holes in even par, he birdied the par-5 13th hole, then holed a 161-yard shot from the trees at the par-4 14th for a 2, and made another eagle two holes later, hitting a 4-iron to 10 feet at the par-5 16th and converting the putt for a 3. So he was 5 under for holes 13 through 16 on his way to a 5-under 67.

Schmid, a teaching pro at Brown Deer GC in Iowa City, played the other course that's being used this week, Ryder (par 71), in his second round on Friday. He wasn't as spectacular as he'd been the day before, but after starting on the back nine and playing his first 11 holes in even par, he played his last seven in 4 under. The resulting 67 put his two-day total at 134 (9 under).

That has him one shot ahead of Frank Bensel. Bensel, also 52. He's an assistant pro at Century Club in Purchase, N.Y., and he's been in contention for the Senior Club Pro title before. As a matter of fact, he led after 54 holes last year, and was tied for the lead with four holes to go in the final round. But he bogeyed the 15th hole, and Scott Hebert made three birdies in a row (15, 16, 17) to win by four.

Bensel shot the low score of the day Friday, a 65 at Wanamaker. The highlight was a hole in one at the 177-yard 16th hole. It was the second time he's aced that hole. He did it the first time during the 2017 National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional (Club Pro) Championship. He said the pin was in a similar position for both holes in one, and he used the same club -- an 8-iron. 

Walt Chapman shot 65 at Ryder, and he's alone in third place, one behind Bensel at 136. Two players -- Chris Starkjohann and Brad Lardon -- are tied for fourth with 36-hole aggregates of 137. Lardon had the other 65 Friday, at Ryder. 

The defending champion, Hebert, is in contention once again. He posted a 70 and is part of a six-way tie for sixth at 138.

Dick Mast, the 69-year-old former PGA Tour regular who led after an opening day 65 at Ryder, could do no better than a 76 at Wanamaker in Round 2, and he's tied for 20th at 141. 

There was a rain delay of more than an hour on Friday, and 29 of the more than 250 players in the field did not finish. But it appears that the second-day cut to the top 90 and ties will fall at 2 over par, 145, and that would eliminate all of the pros who are from Minnesota or have Minnesota connections.

The one who still has a chance is Ty Armstrong, 61, a former PGA Tour player who is now a teaching pro at GolfTEC in Eden Prairie (and is also the coach of the Eden Prairie High School boys golf team). To guarantee a chance to play on Saturday (there will be a second cut, to the top 70 and ties for Sunday's final round), he needed a par on No. 18 at Ryder, a 416-yard par-4, and the second-toughest hole on the course. But he made a bogey instead. That gave hm a 72 and a two-day total of 146 (3 over), which has him in a massive 24-way tie for 92nd place.

Consequently, Armstrong needs two of the players who are ahead of him but didn't finish to make at least a bogey or two on their way to the clubhouse Saturday morning, as the second round is being completed. Three of the guys who didn't finish Friday were at 2 over with some golf left to be played, and three more were at 1 over. 

Dave Podas, the former head pro at Minneapolis Golf Club and now the head pro at Bel-Air Country Club, was tied for 48th at the start of the day, after a first-round 71 at Ryder, but he fell back with a 78 at Wanamaker and is tied for 147th place at 149. 

2020 Senior PGA Professional Championship

At PGA Golf Club

Ryder Course (par 71) & Wanamaker Course (par 72)

Port St. Lucie, Fla. 

Second-round results (the field will be cut to the top 90 & ties after the second round and to the top 70 & ties after the third round)


1. Jeffrey Schmid, Brown Deer GC, Iowa                            -9              67 (W) 67 (R) -- 134

2. Frank Bensel, Century CC, Fla.                                       -8               70 (R)  65 (W) -- 135

3. Walt Chapman, Fairways and Greens Golf Ctr., Tenn.    -7                71 (W) 65 (R) -- 136 

T4. Henrik Simonsen, Honors Course, Tenn.                      -6                69 (W) 68 (R) -- 137

T4. Chris Starkjohann, Life Member                                    -6                68 (R) 69 (W) -- 137

T6. Bob Sowards, Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club, Ohio        -5                 66 (R)      (W) -- (not done with Rnd. 2)

T6. Chad Sorensen, Buena Vista GC, Calif.                     -5                  67 (W)     (R) -- (not done with Rnd. 2)

T6. Brad Lardon, The Club at Las Campanas, N.M.          -5                 73 (W) 65 (R) -- 138

T6. Dave McNabb, Applebrook GC, Del.                           -5                 70 (R) 68 (W) -- 138

T6. Scott Hebert, Travers City G&CC, Mich.                     -5                 68 (R) 70 (W) -- 138

T6. Paul Stankowski, Life Member                                    -4                 67  (R) 71 (W) -- 138

Projected to miss second-round cut (90 & ties)

T92. Ty Armstrong, GolfTEC-Eden Prairie                    +3                 74 (W) 72 (R) -- 146  

T130. Dale Jones, Mendakota                                        +5                  73 (W) 75 (R) -- 148

T130. Don Berry, Edinburgh USA                                  +5                   77 (W) 71 (R) -- 148

T147. Dave Podas, Bel-Air CC, Calif.                            +6                   71 (R) 78 (W) -- 149

T147. Larry Norland, Greenhaven GC                          +6                   75 (R) 74 (W) -- 149

T230. Dan Callahan, Island View GC                           +14                  79 (W) 78 (R) -- 157

T237. Steve Fessler, Albion Ridges GC                     +16                    81 (R) 78 (W) -- 159

 

2020 Senior PGA Professional Championship

At PGA Golf Club

Ryder Course (par 71) & Wanamaker Course (par 72)

Port St. Lucie, Fla. 

Second-round results (the field will be cut to the top 90 & ties after the second round and to the top 70 & ties after the third round)


1. Jeffrey Schmid, Brown Deer GC, Iowa                            -9              67 (W) 67 (R) -- 134

2. Frank Bensel, Century CC, Fla.                                       -8               70 (R)  65 (W) -- 135

3. Walt Chapman, Fairways and Greens Golf Ctr., Tenn.    -7                71 (W) 65 (R) -- 136 

T4. Henrik Simonsen, Honors Course, Tenn.                      -6                69 (W) 68 (R) -- 137

T4. Chris Starkjohann, Life Member                                    -6                68 (R) 69 (W) -- 137

T6. Bob Sowards, Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club, Ohio        -5                 66 (R)      (W) -- (not done with Rnd. 2)

T6. Chad Sorensen, Buena Vista GC, Calif.                     -5                  67 (W)     (R) -- (not done with Rnd. 2)

T6. Brad Lardon, The Club at Las Campanas, N.M.          -5                 73 (W) 65 (R) -- 138

T6. Dave McNabb, Applebrook GC, Del.                           -5                 70 (R) 68 (W) -- 138

T6. Scott Hebert, Travers City G&CC, Mich.                     -5                 68 (R) 70 (W) -- 138

T6. Paul Stankowski, Life Member                                    -4                 67  (R) 71 (W) -- 138

Projected to miss second-round cut (90 & ties)

T92. Ty Armstrong, GolfTEC-Eden Prairie                    +3                 74 (W) 72 (R) -- 146  

T130. Dale Jones, Mendakota                                        +5                  73 (W) 75 (R) -- 148

T130. Don Berry, Edinburgh USA                                  +5                   77 (W) 71 (R) -- 148

T147. Dave Podas, Bel-Air CC, Calif.                            +6                   71 (R) 78 (W) -- 149

T147. Larry Norland, Greenhaven GC                          +6                   75 (R) 74 (W) -- 149

T230. Dan Callahan, Island View GC                           +14                  79 (W) 78 (R) -- 157

T237. Steve Fessler, Albion Ridges GC                     +16                    81 (R) 78 (W) -- 159