Saucon Valley CC’s McCool tops Senior Amateur leaderboard

 The field for Thursday’s second round was cut to the low 45 players and ties for Division’s 55-59 and 60-older (the only divisions eligible for the overall championship) and the low 10 and ties for the Super-Senior Division (65 and over).

 The cut fell at 80 for the first two divisions as well as 80 for the Super-Senior bracket.

  After the first round of play, Robin McCool of Saucon Valley CC stands atop the leaderboard with an impressive 2-under-par 68. McCool carded an eagle, a birdie and a bogey. The most impressive part about McCool’s round was the fact he played the final nine holes in 1-under par despite a persistent and sometimes intense rain on Tuesday.

  McCool’s front side included eight pars and a chip-in on No. 2 (par 4, 436 yards) from about 35 feet. He made the turn at 1-under par. On the back nine, McCool opened with a par before carding the shot of the day on No. 11 (par 5, 542 yards) when he holed a bunker shot from the front, left greenside bunker for an eagle.

  “It released and went in,” McCool said.

  He finished with six more pars and his lone bogey, that as a result of a three putt on No. 15 (par 4, 443 yards).

  “It was a nice steady round,” said McCool, 55, of Bethlehem, Pa. “I had only a couple bad shots.”

  It’s been a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde kind of year for McCool.

  McCool’s had top finishes in the Senior Division of the Debaufre Players Trophy at Philadelphia CC; the Chesapeake Cup at Caves Valley GC with partner Gary Daniels and a record-setting victory in the Saucon Valley Country Club Senior Club Championship. Intermingled with that success has been disappointments in the Chapman Cup (Gross) and U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifier.

  “I’ve expected to play better but I’ve kind of disappointed myself,” said McCool. “I seem to play well in every other tournament.”

  However, McCool’s better days may be ahead thanks to a posture change. McCool said he’s bending over more at the waist and that has resulted in more consistency.

  That is a bad sign for the rest of the field.

  Tom DiCinti of Little Mill CC stands alone in second place after carding an even-par 70. DiCinti opened with a 1-under-par 34 on the front nine before finishing in 1-over 36.

  DiCinti, 57, of Voorhees, N.J., recorded four birdies and four bogeys. Not bad considering it was the first time he saw the golf course.

  “You just want to be around the leaders to give yourself a chance,” said DiCinti. “It should be a good run to the finish.”

  Wally Swiger of Huntingdon Valley CC stands alone in third place after carding a 1-over-par 71. Swiger had two bogeys and a birdie, including a three-putt bogey on the final hole (No. 18, par 392 yards).

  It’s been a trying summer for Swiger, who cut his left hand on a chainsaw blade in May after he fell in his shed and landed on it.

  “I’m starting to make a little bit of a comeback,” said Swiger, 57, of Maple Glen, Pa. “I’ve been working on my game.”

  Mike Nilon of Philadelphia CC and Craig Scott of Huntingdon Valley CC, the 2004 Senior Amateur Champion, are tied in fourth place after recording 2-over-par 72s. David Brookreson of Huntingdon Valley CC, the reigning Senior Amateur Champion and two-time Senior Player of the Year, and Frank McFadden of Overbrook GC are lurking after shooting 73s.