Chip Lutz hits approach shot on the 10th hole
(USGA Photo)
COLUMBUS, OH (August 15, 2016) -- Chip Lutz had
never played in a U.S. Senior Open before, but you
would have never known based on the way he played
this week at Scioto Country Club. Following an opening
round 7-over 77, Lutz played very well over the final
three rounds finishing 10-over and tied for 37th.
Lutz had tried roughly a half dozen times to qualify
for the U.S. Senior Open, but had never been able to
survive the grueling test. “Over the last ten years I have
tried and I always missed by one or tied in a
playoff.”
However, Lutz’s fortune changed this past year
when he won the U.S. Senior Amateur and received an
automatic qualifying spot.
Lutz began his week with a disappointing first round
77 but the Reading, PA resident hit the ball well with the
exception of two holes. After starting his round on the
10th, Lutz hit his drive into the face of the bunker on
No. 15, leading to a double-bogey and a tee shot into
the water on the par-3 17th resulted in a triple-bogey.
Despite the score, Lutz knew he was playing well
and he took that confidence into the second round and
rebounded with a 1-under 69 to make the cut by a
stroke. Of the 23 amateurs in the field Lutz, a three-
time British Senior Amateur winner, was the only player
to make it to the weekend.
“That was awesome to shoot the 69 (on Friday),”
Lutz said. “It was really special to make the cut as the
only amateur, it meant a great deal to me. That was my
goal going into the tournament and I was thrilled to
make the cut and to be the only amateur to make it.
That to me was quite a nice accomplishment.”
In the third round the 61-year-old Lutz played
solidly, shooting a 4-over 74 before finishing on Monday
with an even-par 70. Following the suspension of play
due to
an excess of three inches of rain on Sunday, Lutz
carded
two birdies and two bogeys during his closing round.
Beginning his day on the 10th hole and following a
bogey on the 13th he carded his first birdie of the round
on No. 16.
After turning with an even-par 35, Lutz bogeyed
the 2nd before rolling in his final birdie on the 6th hole.
“It really played long and totally different from days
previous,” Lutz said of the course following the rain.
“We had different conditions each day so there were
difficult conditions but the course was great and a great
test, what you would expect from a USGA event.”
Throughout the week Lutz played with some of the
biggest names on the Champions Tour, including a
practice round with Tom Watson, Fred Funk and fellow
Florida Gator Scott Dunlap.
During the first and second rounds, Lutz played
alongside the then defending U.S. Senior Open
champion, Jeff Maggert and 2015 British Senior Open
winner Marco Dawson.
“I have played in three British Senior Open’s
previously so I had some comfort playing with the
professionals. It was very helpful, some recognized me
and made it a lot more comfortable.”
If there was one downside to the Monday finish for
Lutz, it was that he had to pull out of the U.S. Amateur
due to the tournaments overlapping.
“It is a little bit disappointing, but at the same time
I am a little relieved as well,” said Lutz. "My feet are
sore and I have another big stretch coming up in
September, with a lot of majors still to come so I am
welcoming the break after a crazy couple of
weeks.”
Even though Lutz was the only amateur of 23 to
make the cut at the U.S. Senior Open, there were some
notable rounds by the amateurs throughout the week.
Here is a look at some of the best rounds from Scioto
Country Club:
69
Chip Lutz- In the second round Lutz put
together
the only under-par round of the week by an amateur.
Lutz birdied four holes and bogeyed three during his
round. Most of damage was done from Nos. 3-7 when
he birdied three of five holes.
70
Gregory Condon-It was the second best
round of the week by an amateur and it was a fantastic
bounce back round as Condon cut 11-strokes off his day
one score. During the round Condon birdied three and
bogeyed three.
Chip Lutz-For all the details from Lutz's
final round 70 please see above
73
Patrick Tallent- Tallent was the low
amateur after his 3-over first round. The highlight
of the day came on the 7th hole, when Tallent holed an
eagle two.
Gene Elliot- Following a disappointing
first round, Elliot responded with a solid second round
that saw him birdie three times. The birdies came on
Nos. 6, 12 and 15.
74
Chip Lutz- Playing in the third round,
Lutz
birdied one and bogeyed five. His birdie came on the
6th hole.
Don Walsworth- The 74 for Walsworth
came in the second round and his scorecard included
three birdies. On the back nine Walsworth birdied Nos.
11 and 12 back-to-back.
Dave Bunker- On the opening day of play
Bunker birdied three holes to get his tournament
started. The birdies were carded during a four hole
stretch from Nos. 11-14.
ABOUT THE
U.S. Senior Open
The U.S. Senior Open is one of 15 national
championships conducted by the USGA. Open
to amateurs and professionals who have
reached
their 50th birthday as of the first day of the
championship.
The Senior Open was
first
played in 1980 with a purse of, get this, just
$100,000. Roberto Vincenzo of Argentina was
the
inaugural champion (winning $20,000), and
Arnold
Palmer was a popular winner the following year
in
1981 at Oakland Hills.
View Complete Tournament Information