Brown and Sughrue Open U.S. Senior Amateur with Lead at Minikahda; Teal Shoots 76 to Lead Minnesotans

August 26, 2017 | 5 min.


By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org


  MINNEAPOLIS – Carding five birdies over a seven-hole span in soggy conditions Saturday, David Brown went on to post a 4-under par 68 to open the 63rd U.S. Senior Amateur Championship in a share of the lead with Matthew Sughrue at The Minikahda Club.

Brown closed out his opening nine with three consecutive birdies and rolled in pair of birdies early on his back nine before a bogey put him into the clubhouse with a share of the lead at 68.

“Things went real well,” Brown claimed Saturday. “I made some really good putts and then some good short putts. I practiced my putting a lot in the last couple days. I’ve come out and hit the ball that well before and shot 74."

Starting on the 10th tee Saturday, Brown started the scoring with a short birdie at the 12th before drawing even with a bogey at the 14th. Sinking three consecutive birdies beginning at the 16th, Brown quickly moved to 3-under for the championship.

Back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth holes put the Ligonier, Pa., native at 5-under for the tournament, but a setback at the sixth put Brown at 68 following the first round of stroke play Saturday.

While another round below par Sunday would be ideal, Brown emphasized that remaining inside the top-64 to advance to match play is his main focus.

“That’s all that matters. I want to try to enjoy the course, but try to keep it on the golf course, too.”

Sughrue, Arlington, Va., also began the first round on the back nine Saturday and would turn at 1-under despite taking a double-bogey at the par-4 16th. Rolling in four birdies with one bogey over his final nine holes, Sughrue earned a share of the lead and a two-shot cushion over Tennessee’s Tim Jackson, who carded a 2-under par 70 to start the championship.

Excelsior, Minn., native Jeff Teal posted a 4-over par 76 during the opening round Saturday to lead a total of five Minnesotans in the field this week.

“It wasn’t great. A rough start and then settled down a little bit after about eight holes,” Teal said after his opening round Saturday. “I played pretty solid on the back nine. It was a little better tempo and relaxing a bit more. I knew I had to try and have a good back nine.

“Tomorrow if I can continue to find that tempo, hopefully I can get off to a better start.”

Beginning his round on the 10th tee Saturday, Teal started with a chaotic opening nine, carding a double-bogey and three bogeys to turn at 5-over par. He rolled in his birdie chance from 18 feet at the par-5 fourth before taking bogey at the sixth.

Teal would finish his day with a two-putt for birdie at the par-5 seventh to post a 76 and into a tie for 55th place after the opening day of competition.

“I putted pretty well and made some good, short putts for par to hang in there,” Teal said. “It was kind of going sideways, literally, so to hang in there and be patient enough to have a good back nine was nice.

“I was hoping to make a couple of birdies on the back nine and finish under par, but that didn’t happen. I need to have a good round tomorrow and hopefully it’ll be good enough to make the top-64.”

Teal played both golf and hockey at the University of Minnesota and last played in a USGA event in 1987 at the U.S. Amateur Championship at Shoal Creek in Alabama, making the cut for match play but dropped his opening match.

Most recently, Teal claimed the 2015 Minnesota Public Golf Association Senior Match Play Championship at Emerald Greens Golf Club and advanced to the semifinals the following year. Also in 2015, Teal finished tied for seventh at the Minnesota Senior Open.

David Whittaker, Duluth, Minn., carded a 9-over par 81 Saturday and will begin his second round in a tie for 126th place, while David Brown posted an opening-round 82 to sit tied for 133rd.

Whittaker played in a group with 1997 Walker Cup participant, Duke Delcher and the oldest player in the field this week, Vinny Giles, who won the 1972 U.S. Amateur Championship before claiming the 2009 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

“This is the first [USGA event] for me and I looked forward to playing with two really good golfers,” Whittaker said. “I love the golf course and I was just trying to play like I did in the practice rounds.

“I think we got a break in the weather—it never was really bad and the course played great. It absorbed the water tremendously."

Randall Garber, a two-time MPGA Senior Public Links champion, carded a 12-over par 84 during the opening round Saturday and will begin Sunday’s second round of stroke play tied for 143rd and Lakeville, Minn., native John Barry finished the first round in 148th place with an 85.

“I just had no swing today and couldn’t get off the tee,” Garber said following his round Saturday. “I had a lot of hybrids into the greens and didn’t have the speed putting. I love the golf course and had trouble with the speed because the conditions changed.

“I enjoy playing with these guys from all over the country and the players are always gentlemen and very supporting. I’m going to try and enjoy it, but it’s hard when you’re under pressure and you want to play well.”

Garber, Lakeville, Minn., competed at the 2010 U.S. Senior Amateur at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, Fla. He was the 2007 MGA Senior Players’ champion, defeating Bob Leaf at Bearpath Golf and Country Club. He’s amassed 26 top-10 finishes in state events since 2000.

The second round of the 63rd U.S. Senior Amateur Championship is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Sunday at The Minikahda Club.


THE 63RD U.S. SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
THE MINIKAHDA CLUB
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.
6,734 YARDS, PAR 72


SATURDAY’S STROKE PLAY RESULTS

T1. Matthew Sughrue, Arlington, Va., 33-35—68
T1. David Brown, Ligonier, Pa., 35-33—68
3. Tim Jackson, Memphis, Tenn., 33-37—70
T4. Chip Holmcombe, Saint Johns, Fla., 35-36—71
T4. Don Dubois, Newport Beach, Calif., 35-36—71
T4. Bart Dornier, Metairie, La., 37-34—71
T4. Brady Exber, Las Vegas, Nev., 38-33—71
T4. Chris Hartenstein, Austin, Texas, 35-36—71

Eight players tied at 72

T55. JEFF TEAL, EXCELSIOR, MINN., 35-41—76
T126. DAVID WHITTAKER, DULUTH, MINN., 38-43—81
T133. DAVID BROWN, MINNETONKA, MINN., 38-44—82
T143. RANDALL GARBER, LAKEVILLE, MINN., 42-42—84
T148. JOHN BARRY, LAKEVILLE, MINN., 41-44—85



For complete tournament results go to:

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