Co-leader Gene Elliott
(USGA Photo)
LECANTO, FL (December 11, 2017) - With one round left in the Golfweek Senior Tour Championship two of the best in the game are leading the way. Gene Elliott ranked fourth in the AGC Senior Rankings and Jack Hall ranked fifth are both 4-under and sharing the lead by 10 shots over the next nearest competitor. The two will play together for the second consecutive day in Tuesday's final round.
Elliott, the leader by one after the first round, ended the day where he started it following a day two even-par 72. Playing at the Quarry Course of Black Diamond Ranch Elliott started strongly with birdies on Nos. 6 and 9 to reach 6-under by the turn before stumbling a bit on the second nine with two bogeys.
Elliott, on the verge of wrapping yet another impressive season, is in search of his fourth AmateurGolf.com Ranking event win of the season. The Des Moines, IA native has already picked up wins at the Canadian Senior Amateur, Crane Cup Senior and Trans-Mississippi Senior.
Jack Hall began the round in second place but was able to move into a share of the lead with a 1-under 71. Unlike Elliott, Hall started slowly, and after a 1-over front nine that dropped him to 2-under for the tournament he was four-strokes off the lead. However, as Elliott struggled, Hall surged with birdies on Nos. 13 and 16 and then pulled even after Elliott bogeyed the closing hole.
With one round remaining Hall is looking for his third ranking win of the season and his second in a Golfweek event. Previously he won the Golfweek Senior National Match Play while also claiming the Timuquana Cup Senior.
Mike Poe is third at 6-under while Bart Dornier, Chris Hall, Scott Smith and Bob Stephens shared fourth at 7-over.
SUPER SENIOR DIVISION
Rob Hess jumped into the lead in the Super Senior Division and at 4-over he leads first round pace setter Carl Nanni (+5) by one. Through the first two rounds Hess has combined consecutive tallies of 2-over 74.
The only other player with a realistic chance of catching Hess or Nanni is Evan Long who is 8-over and four back.
LEGENDS DIVISION
Don Marsh, 1-over, is ahead in the Legends Division by three after sharing the lead on Monday. Jack Marin is second at 4-over while George Washburn is 5-over in third.
ROUND ONE RECAP
Gene Elliott fired a 4-under 68 to take the lead after day one of the Golfweek Senior Tour Championship. Elliott was one of just two players under-par after the first round at the Quarry Course of Black Diamond Ranch, the other being Jack Hall who sits at 3-under.
Ranked fourth in the AGC Senior Rankings, Elliott birdied Nos. 5 and 6 to jump start his round. Elliott then added birdies on the 12th, 14th and 16th holes to get as low as 5-under before dropping his only stroke of the round on the 17th hole.
Jack Hall, currently in second place, tallied a 3-under 69 as he birdied five-times and bogeyed twice. Ranked fifth in the AGC Senior Rankings Hall turned in 3-under 33 before falling back to 1-over with two early back nine bogeys. Unfazed by the slip up Hall rebounded with consecutive birdies on Nos. 15 and 16.
Bart Dornier and Mike Poe are sharing third at 1-over while in a tie for fifth it is Bob Stephens and James Winner at 2-over.
SUPER SENIOR DIVISION
After opening with a 1-over 73 Carl Nanni holds a narrow lead in the Super Senior Division over the 2-over Rob Hess.
During the first round Nanni carded three birdies and four bogeys with his circles coming on Nos. 6, 10 and 16.
David Devendorf and Evan Long are sharing third at 3-over.
LEGEND DIVISION
The Legends Division lead is being shared by John Casstevens and Don Marsh, both of whom are 1-under following 71's.
As the only players in red figures the duo holds a comfortable four shot lead over John Marin, 3-over, in third place.
ABOUT THE
Golfweek Senior TOC
54 hole, Medal Play with Senior (55-64),
Super Senior (65-69), and Legends (70+) Divisions.
The Golfweek Senior
Tournament of Champions is open to all winners of
senior events in the last calendar year.
View Complete Tournament Information