19th Super-Senior Amateur: Round One

Applebrook’s Daniels, Scranton’s Vassil share lead at 1 under

GLENSIDE, Pa.–There will be a second chapter added to the Gary Daniels-Mike Vassil golf-umentary. Brewer Cup Super-Senior finalists in July, the two head into the final round of the 19th Super-Senior Amateur Championship at North Hills Country Club (par 71, 5,767 yards) tied. Both finished at 1-under 70 Tuesday.

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Daniels, in the midst of a career year, defeated Vassil, 2&1, for the Brewer Cup at French Creek Golf Club. A different format, 18 holes of stroke play, awaits Wednesday.

Defending champion Brian Rothaus of Five Ponds Golf Club is tied for 30th at 7 over.

The final grouping tees off for the second round at 9:20 a.m. Greg Osborne of Overlook Golf Course, who happens to lead the Super-Senior Silver Cross, rounds out the group. Osborne finished his first round at even par.

The Super-Senior Silver Cross is awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the Francis B. Warner Cup, Frank H. Chapman Cup and Super-Senior Amateur Championship.

Daniels returned home yesterday from his first appearance in the U.S. Senior Amateur at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn. He missed the cut, but said his closing nine sent him home with some sunshine, swings and smiles.

Daniels climbed the leaderboard courtesy of a back-nine bonanza; three birdies and six pars. On No. 10 (par 4, 310 yards), he clipped a sand wedge from 80 yards to four feet. On No. 12 (par 5, 500 yards), he rocketed a 4-wood from 230 yards to 25 feet for a two-putt birdie. On No. 15 (par 5, 490 yards), he stroked a gap wedge from 105 yards to 10 feet below the hole and made it.

The 70-year-old Berwyn, Pa. resident noted it was the third time he’s shot his age in a competitive round.

“That’s my goal these days,” said Daniels with a smile about shooting his age. “I played well on the last nine in Tennessee but I didn’t know which guy was going to show up [here today]. The good Gary or the other guy. There is never a middle of the road guy.”

The other guy, namely the Bad Gary, started the day. Daniels turned in 2-over par, a clumsy double bogey on No. 8 (par 4, 362 yards) doing the damage. The Good Gary finished strong.

“[Mike and I] had a great match [in the Brewer Cup]. He’s a wonderful man. I think I was 4-up after eight holes. He came back in that match. It was a battle. So, you know, tomorrow you’re gonna have to bring your ‘A’ game.”

Vassil had his A game today but C putter. The 2012 Senior Amateur Championship victor found 16 of 18 greens but only dropped two birdies. On his first nine – Vassil started on the back side – he had one bogey and eight pars. A missed five-footer for the save had Vassil saying, “Oh boy, here we go.”

The inward nine was all business. He birdied No. 2 (par 5, 443 yards) after being hole-high in two shots and No. 5 (par 4, 354 yards) after stopping a 54-degree wedge from 85 yards at four feet. Every other hole was a par.

“I’d love to have as many birdie chances tomorrow as I did today,” said Vassil, 67, of Dalton, Pa. “I think I’d be able to take it a little bit lower, but it’ll be fun. I mean, that’s the whole point of Senior golf: Having competition, being in contention and doing that as long as we can.”

GAP

Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The organization’s 345 Member Clubs and 110,000 individual members are spread across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.