Day Two at the Gasparilla: Logan Blondell maintains lead
Palma Ceia 18th hole (Photo: Gasparilla Invitational)
Logan Blondell built on his opening 65 with an incredibly steady bogey-free 68 in round two. Starting on the first hole in the morning shotgun wave, Blondell birdied the fourth and seventh holes; he closed out his round with 11 straight pars.
Two players in the afternoon wave found their way to second place at five-under par in very different ways.
Keith Guest backed up a 68 in the first round with a 67 on Friday. Guest has been steady over the opening 36 holes, making just one bogey in each of his two rounds.
Joining Guest two shots behind the leader Blondell is
Marc Dull. Dull managed to overcome a triple bogey on the par-five third hole with five birdies proving that snowmen don't last long in Florida.
Playing alongside Blondell was
Rick Sulzer and
Blanton Farmer; both men shot opening 67s and were hoping to close the gap on Blondell. Neither could. Sulzer shot a 71 that had some potential; he slipped off the pace when he bogeyed holes 15 and 16. However, he mustered up a birdie on the par-5 18th hole.
Blanton Farmer managed a 69 to stay within three shots of Blondell. He bounced back nicely following a double bogey on the par-3 fourth hole with birdies on holes 8, 13, 14, and 16. A bogey on 18 will leave a sour taste in his mouth; he’s still in the hunt heading into the final round.
Justin Connelly moved up the leaderboard par after a spotless 67 in round two helped him reach four-under par. He started on the fourth hole, and his three birdies all came on the Palma Ceia’s back nine. He’s three shots behind Blondell at 4 under.
Three more players made their way into contention with late surges in the gloaming on Friday. Starting his round on hole 6, Johnathan Bale made birdies on holes 2, 3, and 4 to leap up to 4 under.
Will Davenport birdied four of his last five holes to shoot 69 and stay within three shots of Blondell.
Not to be outdone,
Nick Maccario finished with three straight birdies to also get to four-under par. Maccario hopes to improve on his third-place finish in 2021.
The pack is lined up to chase down Blondell in the final round. Palma Ceia will be set up to challenge the field and generate some fireworks.
Mike Finster, the 2019 champion is on top of the senior division at two under. He shot a 68 in round 2. On his heels are
Jack Hall at even par and
Rusty Strawn at one over.
ABOUT THE
Gasparilla Invitational Mid-Am
54-hole individual stroke play championship
with a
cut after 36 holes to the low 60 and ties. Good
mix
of Florida
players
and national competitors looking for an
early
season
tune up. Played on a traditional, tree lined
golf
course that isn't very long but has small,
undulating
greens.
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