Sekne leads Sunnehanna Amateur after two rounds
By Mike Dudurich • June 16, 2022
Mike is a freelance writer and host of The Golf Show on 93.7 The Fan Saturday mornings from 7-8 AM. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeDudurich.
It was almost as if Thursday had suddenly become the Day When Time Stood Still.
The scoreboard at Sunnehanna Country Club, home of the Sunnehanna Amateur, looked surprisingly similar after two rounds had been completed. Through 36 holes, 26 players were under par. After one round, 28 players had been under par.
Even more unbelievable, the leader’s score was 6-under par.
On Thursday, the man at the top was Herman Sekne after his 69-65 start. He’s tied with the first-round leader, Bryce Lewis, who has posted 64-70.
And one more statistical oddity. After Wednesday’s first round, 18 players were within four shots of the lead. After the second round, 15 players were within four of the lead.
There seem to be plenty of indications that this Sunnehanna Amateur is going to be a battle all the way to the end.
“I hung in there tough,” said Bryce Lewis, who used a solid finish to maintain a share of the lead after two rounds.
Duke’s Kelly Chinn capped his second round with four birdies through 11 holes and finished with a 68. He’s at 5-under, a shot off the lead.
Brookville native Nathan Smith, who won the event in 2011, made three birdies on the front nine and one bogey on the back to shoot 68.
“To me, I think today was better than yesterday (when he shot 68). It was a better round and it meant a lot to me,” Smith said. “It was really tough out there today and I’m proud of how I played.”
He’ll be teeing off just ahead of his buddies Palmer Jackson and Mark Goetz at 12:30, while the other two get started at 12:40.
Goetz posted a 71 in the second round while Jackson, shooting a 69 in the second round.
“I thought the course played more difficult today,” Goetz said. “I hit so many good putts today but I didn’t make very many.”
“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy today and it wasn’t,” Jackson said. “I’m ready to go tomorrow. It’s going to be fun.”
Rounding out the West Penn Golf Association entries were Gregor Meyer 76-74-150 and Sean Knapp 77-71-148.
The low round of the day was turned in by Nicholas Arcement, who shot a 6-under par 64. He had a front nine of 1-over par 36, but he lit I up on the back. But he made five birdies and an eagle for a 28 on the back. That round moved the LSU junior into a tie for 6th.
Tee times will start at 8 a.m.
About the WPGA
Founded in 1899, the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association is the steward of amateur golf in the region. Started by five Member Clubs, the association now has nearly 200 Member Clubs and 33,000 members. The WPGA conducts 14 individual competitions and 10 team events, and administers the WPGA Scholarship Fund.