Uresti Shoots 66, Opens 6-Stroke Lead in Senior Club Pro

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Omar Uresti wasn't on the leader board at the Senior PGA Professional (Club Pro) Championship Friday night. That was because he was one of 29 players in the 264-man field who didn't finish his second round, the result of a rain delay. But he was actually only one shot out of the lead at 8 under with two holes remaining in Round 2.

The 52-year-old PGA Tour veteran (he played 356 events on the big tour, but never won) concluded the second round with a par and a birdie early Saturday morning and then shot a 6-under 66 at the PGA Golf Club's Wanamaker Course in the third round. With that, he raced out to a six-stroke lead after 54 holes. His three-day total of 200 (15 under) is a tournament record. 

Bob Sowards, also 52, is rooming with Uresti this week, and they will be paired together in Sunday's final round, because Sowards is in second place at 206. He put together a 69 in windy conditions that made scoring difficult on Saturday. 

Defending champion Scott Hebert is part of a three-way tie for third at 207, after a second consecutive 70. Paul Stankowski, another former PGA Tour regular, and Frank Bensel, who tied for second in this tournament last year, are also at 207. 

Jeffrey Schmid, the 36-hole leader (134) thanks to a pair of 67's, struggled through a 76 on Saturday. He is now tied for ninth at 210.

The PGA Professional and Senior PGA Professional tournaments were established for club professionals who were members of the PGA of America. But PGA Tour players can also be members of the PGA of America, as long as they pay their annual dues. Some club pros aren't thrilled about that arrangement, but those are the rules. And Uresti has made the most of his status as a PGA of America Lifetime Member. In 2017, he won the regular PGA Professional Championship.

On Saturday, he got his third round off to a great start by making a 15-foot putt for eagle on the first hole at Wanamaker, and he concluded the front nine by making another eagle at the 388-yard ninth hole, where he holed a 9-iron from 130 yards. He ended up with four birdies, two eagles and two bogeys. There were only three other players who broke 70 -- Sowards, Alan Morin (68) and Gus Ulrich (68).

As for the Minnesota contingent, Ty Armstrong, a teaching pro at GolfTEC in Eden Prairie, was the only one to survive the 36-hole cut, which reduced the field to the top 90 and ties. He made that one on the number -- 146 (74-72) -- but he shot 75 on Saturday and missed the 54-hole cut to the top 70 and ties by a single stroke with his three-day total of  221.  

 
2020 Senior PGA Professional Championship

At PGA Golf Club

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

Port St. Lucie, Fla. 

(Everyone played one round at each course for the first two rounds; Saturday's third round was played at Wanamaker)

Third-round results (the field was cut to the top 90 & ties after the second round and to the top 70 & ties after the third)


1. Omar Uresti, Life Member                                              -15             68 (R) 66 (W) 66 -- 200

2. Bob Sowards, Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club, Ohio            -9              66 (R)  71 (W) 69 -- 206

T3. Frank Bensel, Century CC, Fla.                                    -7               70 (R)  65 (W) 73 -- 208

T3. Scott Hebert, Travers City G&CC, Mich.                      -7                68 (R) 70 (W)  70 -- 208

T3. Paul Stankowski, Life Member                                     -7                67  (R) 71 (W) 70 -- 208

T6. Walt Chapman, Fairways and Greens Golf Ctr., Tenn. -6                71 (W) 65 (R) 73 -- 209

T6. Henrik Simonsen, Honors Course, Tenn.                      -6               69 (W) 68 (R) 72 -- 209

T6. Alan Morin, Falls Club of the Palm Beaches, Fla.         -6               68 (R) 73 (W) 68 -- 209 

T9. Chad Sorensen, Buena Vista GC, Calif.                       -5                67 (W) 71 (R) 72 -- 210

T9. Jeffrey Schmid, Brown Deer GC, Iowa                         -5                67 (W) 67 (R) 76 -- 210

Missed third-round cut (70 & ties) -- 220

T77. Ty Armstrong, GolfTEC-Eden Prairie                    +3                 74 (W) 72 (R) 75 -- 221  

Missed second-round cut (90 & ties) -- 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