Mike McBride of Deepdale takes a mighty lash, as partner
3-time Walker Cup player Stewart Hagestad looks on
As we reported earlier this week,
The Anderson Memorial Four-Ball is officially back. But a storm named Henri is playing havoc with the schedule.
Tournament organizers wisely reviewed the path of Henri, and its potential to be upgraded to a category I hurricane, and decided to turn the event into a 54-hole stroke play championship, eliminating the scheduled final day of matches on Sunday.
A cut was made in both Mid-Am and Senior divisions, but rather than use that cut to determine who makes the match play brackets, it was used to determine who gets to play the final round Saturday, a day weather forecasters or saying will be the "calm before the storm" in the Metropolitan New York area.
The cut fell at 5-under 135 in the Mid-Am division, and 1-over 141 in the Senior division. AmateurGolf.com has had the newest member of our staff, Joseph Nieporte, on site all week at Winged Foot. He's the first to come and the last to leave -- enjoying walking in the footsteps of his grandfather Tom Nieporte, the head professional at Winged Foot from 1978 to 2006.
Scores are available using the link below -- here are some third round notes as heard and seen by Joe:
The teams of Kevin Miller/Jordan Utley (Hermitage CC) and Scott Strickland and Jeff Champine (Oakland Hills) are tied at the top at 10-under. They posted 63 and 64 on Winged Foot's U.S. Open course (The West) today -- solid moves up the board.
Stewart Hagestad and partner Mike McBride made a nice move to 9-under with a 65 today. The Walker Cupper was very complimentary of his partner McBride:
“it makes it a lot easier when your partner hits it 320 on a string every hole."
'
McBride and Hagestad, playing out of Deepdale, have the added advantage of McBride's Winged Foot experience -- he has played eight Andersons with his father.
“The key today was just keep it in play," said McBride.
John Jennison and Jonathan Keane of the Olympic Club (8-under) are riding a wave of recent solid play. Both qualified for the US Mid-Am this week at Cherry Valley -- Jennison walking out to the course to watch his buddy play the finishing holes after posting a solid round earlier.
“it’s been a special week," said Jennison. "I'm happy to keep it going."
Crawford Reeves and Steven Bright are tied for 4th place with Jennison and Keane. Bright took up golf after playing football at Vanderbilt. He started playing to impress his father in law, PGA Tour star Jay Haas. And Bright isn't the only football players in the field this year -- NFL star Peyton Manning paired up with Bret Baier of Fox News after Manning was invited by J.P. O'Hara. O'Hara was impressed with Manning's play with Tiger as a partner in "The Match."
Former U.S. Amateur runner-up Drew Kittleson is part of a team tied for 7th. According to Nieporte, "Drew’s ball sounds like a gun shot with every full shot he hits. He's probably the longest guy in the field."
Alas, two teams from the host club were nicely positioned after first round 67's on Thursday, but neither made the cut.
Max Buckley, who was on a team that won the tournament the last time the event was shortened, made the cut "on the number.
SENIOR DIVISION
Chris Lange and former U.S. and British Senior Am champ Chip Lutz have a 3-shot lead after posting 6-under. The duo is representing Pine Valley.
Jay Pumphrey and Joe Sposi of Arizona's Whisper Rock G.C. are giving chase in second place at 3-under.
AmateurGolf.com correspondent Joseph Nieporte provided the research for this report. In case you missed Joe's interview with Peyton Manning yesterday -- here it is again.
View results for Anderson Memorial
ABOUT THE
Anderson Memorial
Perhaps the most coveted best-ball
invitation in all of amateur golf. Created in 1933 to
honor Winged Foot founding member and two time
U.S.
Amateur runner-up John G. Anderson, the event
consists of a 36 hole qualifier followed by two days
of
match play competition in both Championship and
Senior divisions.
View Complete Tournament Information