West Caldwell, NJ (Sports Network) - Jim Holtgrieve posted his second
consecutive 3-under 68 on Sunday and earned medalist honors after the second
round of stroke play at the USGA Senior Amateur Championship.
Holtgrieve, the 1981 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, finished 36 holes at 6-under
136 and was medalist by only a single stroke at Mountain Ridge Country Club.
First-round leader Stanley Kinsey managed an even-par 71 on Sunday and took
second at minus-5.
Steve Golliher carded a 3-under 68 and took third at 3-under 139.
Holtgrieve, who will serve as the U.S. Walker Cup captain, matched the second-
lowest stroke-play total in tournament history.
"It just feels really good," Holtgrieve said. "I haven't been in this position
for a long time. Match play is where you have to put pressure on the other
guy. If I hit good shots and good putts, we will see what happens."
Holtgrieve mixed four birdies and two bogeys in his opening nine, then birdied
the 11th. He made a nice 15-foot par save at No. 14 and parred out to earn the
No. 1 seed in the match-play portion of the tournament, starting on Monday.
"I hit one bad shot, but I was able to get up and down," Holtgrieve said.
"It's kind of fun. I got my hands more upright [on the putting stroke] and I
love the greens; they are rolling great."
Defending champion Louis Lee (69), Chip Lutz (70), Graham Cooke (69) and Mark
Bemowski (71) tied for fourth at 2-under par.
Paul Simson, the 2010 USGA Senior Amateur Championship winner, shot a 2-over
73, but is knotted in eighth with Stephen Fox (70) and Rick Woulfe (72). The
trio finished at minus-1.
There will be an 11-for-9 playoff at 8:00 a.m. ET Monday to determine the last
spots in the match-play format.
The Sports Network