Sekne joins Lewis atop the Sunnehanna Amateur leaderboard
Herman Sekne (Courtesy of Purdue Athletics)
Following an opening round of 6-under 64,
Bryce Lewis may have come down to earth just a bit on Thursday but the Tennessee standout still has a share of the lead at the halfway point of the Sunnehanna Amateur Tournament for Champions being held in Johnstown, Pa.
Joining Lewis atop the leaderboard is
Herman Sekne, who carded a 5-under 65 on Thursday to gain a share of the lead at 6-under 134.
Three players -
Kelly Chinn (Duke),
Jiri Zuska (Louisville) and
Julian Perico (Arkansas) - are one back at 5-under while a total of 15 golfers are within four strokes of the lead at the 36-hole mark of the inaugural Elite Amateur Series event.
After carding a 6-under 64 on Wednesday, Lewis erased three bogeys with three birdies to sign for an even-par 70 at the Sunnehanna Country Club. Meanwhile, Sekne, who opened with a 1-under 69, had five birdies and an eagle on his card en route to a second-round 65 to move into a tie for first.
Sekne, who recently concluded his freshman season at Purdue, followed his eagle on 11 with birdies on 13 and 14 and after giving a stroke back on the par-5 15th, bounced right back with a birdie on 16 on his way to an inward nine of 31.
"I felt like I got off to a decent start on the front nine but couldn't really get anything going," said Sekne, a native of Oslo, Norway. "I knew the front nine was harder and when I made that putt on 11 (for eagle), it helped he get going and from there on out things felt pretty easy."
Sekne followed his eagle on 11 with birdies on 13 and 14 and after giving a stroke back on the par-5 15th, he bounced right back with a birdie on 16 on his way to an inward nine of 31.
The day's low round belonged to
Nicholas Arcement, who shot a 6-under 64. The LSU junior went out in 1-over 36 but collected five birdies and eagle for a 28 on his second nine.
The third round of the Sunnehanna Amateur will get underway at 8:00 a.m. ET on Friday with final round action slated for Saturday.
ABOUT THE
Sunnehanna Amateur
First played in July 1954, the Sunnehanna Amateur holds a distinguished place in golf history as the first country club-sponsored 72-hole medal (stroke) play event for amateurs in the United States. Its groundbreaking format helped set the standard for elite amateur competition and has since inspired numerous high-level tournaments across the country.
Hosted at Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the event is played on a classic 1921 A.W. Tillinghast design—a quintessential golden-age layout known for its strategic shot values, rolling terrain, and challenging greens. The course itself is as much a draw as the championship, offering a pure test of golf that showcases the talent of rising amateur stars.
With its rich tradition, elite fields, and iconic venue, the Sunnehanna Amateur remains one of the premier proving grounds for future professionals. Its alumni list includes many who have gone on to successful PGA Tour careers, making it a must-watch event on the amateur calendar, and one of the best tournaments to kick off a competitive summer in amateur golf.
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