Laudien, Mccormick, Sieg Share Lead At Njpga/njsga Senior Open At Navesink
Scanning the leaderboard, professional Dave Laudien of Howell Parl couldn’t help but noticed the names that were crowding the top of the standings.
“I’ve been playing against these guys for a long time. I’d like to come out on top just once,” he said Laudien, 57, shot a one-under-par 71 to tie for the top spot with Mark McCormick of Suburban and Steve Sieg of Navesink after the first day of the 36-hole NJPGA/NJSGA Senior Open at Navesink Country Club in Middletown.
Just one shot behind Laudien at even –par are fellow pros Jim McGovern of White Beeches, who has won the event the past two years, two-time State Open champion Frank Esposito of Forsgate, who won this event in 2014; three-time State Open champion Ed Whitman of Knickerbocker and Brent Studer of Metedeconk.
The low amateurs at 73 were Bill Charpek of Navesink and Jay Trainor of Valley Brook.
TEE TIMES LEADERBOARD PHOTO GALLERY
A total of 140 golfers age 50 and over teed it up on Tuesday. The top 45 return who shot 77 or better for Wednesday’s 18-hole final.
“It helps my game just being able to play against guys like that,” said Laudien whose best finish was sixth in 2012 at Montammy when Bill Britton won the second of his three in a row. “I’m playing as good as I ever have. My ball striking has remained steady as I’ve grown older.
“The past two years, I’ve been working on my wedges and my putter. When my short game Is good, I usually shoot pretty well.”
Laudien’s round included three birdes and two bogeys. He sank an 18-footer for a birdie at the par-5 No. 11 and a four-footer for a birdie at the par-4 No. 12. His other birdie came at the par-five No. 8.
“I had a practice round here last week when I played in a NJPGA Senior Match-Play event against David Glenz,” said Laudien, who won the National PGA Senior/Junior Championship with Ray Bolo back in 1990.
“I played in the State Open here years ago (1992) so I am familiar with the course. The greens are tricky to read because of the effect of the ball running towards the river. I noticed that they renovated the bunkers an removed some trees and made it a really nice golf course,” he said.
By contrast, McGovern had never played the course before registering two birdies and two bogeys for his even-par round.
“I just tried to keep it in front of me. The rough is up everywhere, so I hit a lot of three woods and tried to knock it on the greens,” said McGovern, 52, who won on the PGA Tour. “I like the challenge of competing. I don’t take it too hard if I lose or celebrate too much if I win. It’s just golf.”
Last week, McGovern qualified for the U.S. Senior Open Championship by shooting 1-under 70 at Bonnie Briar in Larchmont, N.Y. It will be his second time playing in that event.
McCormick carded four birdies, a bogey and a double bogey.
Last week, he won the U.S. Senior open qualifier at Bonnie Briar with a 67.
“I birdied my first hole, No. 10, then doubled No. 12 when I four-putted. Last week’s effort at Bonnie Briar gave me a lot of confidence, but by the same token, it put more pressure on myself as far as expectations go,” said McCormick, who won the State Open in 2008 at Alpine.
“They did some nice work on holes 11 and 17, cut down trees and moved fairways to the left,” said McCormick, who played in the 2012 U.S. Open at Olympic in San Francisco. “I think the whole golf course is more fair. My game plan was to give myself as many opportunities to make putts as I could.”
Sieg said he’s played Navesink “millions of times, but you still have to make the right decisions off the tees.” He carded an uncomplicated round of two birdies and one bogey and nearly had a par save on his bogey on No. 12. “I went over the green and nearly made the putt.”
Sieg, who won the State Open in 1989, said the rainy weather was a factor.
“It was more annoying than anything. It was raining on and off. There are a lot of good players here. They have experience in playing in all types of conditions.”
