Overbrook’s Ray Thompson leads 41st Senior Amateur at 3-under 69

EXTON, Pa.–Raymond Thompson’s playing calendar didn’t originally include the 41st Senior Amateur Championship. The scheduled dates (Sept. 6-7) abutted the U.S. Senior Amateur and Thompson was focused on the National Championship. However, when torrential rains forced the GAP Senior to move to this week, Thompson fit the organization’s prestigious elder Championship onto his docket.

  Thompson, the 2007 GAP Senior Amateur victor, not surprisingly, made the most of the date change. He carded a smooth 3-under-par 69 on Tuesday at Whitford Country Club (par 72, 6,549 yards) to lead the Senior Division by a three shots. Chip Lutz of LedgeRock GC stands alone in second at even-par 72.

How good was Thompson’s play? Soft conditions and thick rough put the field’s scoring average at 80.3 strokes.

  “The U.S. Senior is a hard thing to get to so I thought I would take my chances and gear up for that,” said the 59-year-old Thompson. “I figured I would have had another chance to play in [the GAP Senior], hopefully.”

  Thompson’s opportunity may have been newfound, but his game was very vintage.

  The 2007 Senior Player of the Year birdied No. 1 (par 4, 375 yards) with an 8-iron from 147 yards to 10 feet before falling back to even after missing a short par putt on No. 3 (par 4, 416 yards). Thompson responded to the aforementioned bogey with consecutive birdie putts to move into red figures for good. He drained a 15 footer on No. 5 (par 3, 135 yards) after his wedge found the putting surface and did the same on No. 6 (par 4, 398 yards) when he knocked an 8-iron from 150 yards to 15 feet. He turned out in 2-under par.

  “I was feeling good. It’s always nice to get the first nine under your belt,” said Thompson.

  He moved to 3 under with a spectacular greenside bunker blast to 2½ feet on No. 12 (par 5, 496 yards) but gave that stroke back two holes later with a three putt bogey on No. 14 (par 4, 362 yards). Thompson extended that advantage on the next two holes when he hit a short wedge shot for his third shot to a foot on No. 16 (par 5, 530 yards) and dropped a 5-iron to 10 feet and made birdie on No. 17 (par 3, 182 yards). Thompson dropped a shot on No. 18 (par 4, 376 yards), “his nemesis of a hole,” when his tee ball hit the right side trees.

  And on tomorrow?

  “I’m just trying to freewheel it,” said Thompson of Drexel Hill, Pa. “If I shoot 80, I shoot 80. I’m not going to worry about it. I’m going to have fun. I’m tired of grinding it out. This game is supposed to be fun.”

  Defending champion Chris Lange, also of Overbrook GC, shot a 3-over 75.

  The Senior Amateur also serves as the final two rounds of the Senior Silver Cross. Thompson, who entered the day a shot back, leads Michael Quinn of Edgemont Country Club by four shots.

Super-Senior Division
  It’s been a slow road back to normalcy for John Rowe of Whitemarsh Valley CC. He was treated for prostate cancer eight months ago and has slowly battled to gain his strength back ever since. A fine first-round score of 1-over 73 proves Rowe is doing more than just OK. He leads the Super-Senior Division by two strokes over perennial leaderboard occupant Charles McClaskey of Back Creek Golf Club.

  “I could have scored better but I’m happy with my score,” said Rowe, 65, of Philadelphia, Pa. “I’m just coming back to my strength.”

  Rowe opened his round with five straight pars but registered bogeys on Nos.15 and 16 to make the turn at 2-over and looking for some traction. He found it immediately on the frontside with three consecutive birdies.

  He lofted a gap wedge on No. 1 (par 4, 353 yards) to 10 feet; rocketed a 4-iron on No. 2 (par 3, 172 yards) to five feet and then smacked a fantastic 6-iron on No. 3 (par 4, 386 yards) to two feet. A couple of missed greens in regulation resulted in bogeys on No. 4 (par 5, 470 yards) and No. 7 (par 4, 365 yards).

  “I will do the best I can and hopefully continue to make some putts tomorrow,” said Rowe.

  The Senior Amateur also serves as the final two rounds of the Super-Senior Silver Cross. McClaskey holds a commanding double-digit lead.