Tuesday was the opening round of the Missouri Senior Amateur Championship at one of the state's most prestigious venues, Old Warson Country Club, in St. Louis. 114 of the state's top golfers, age 50 and above, teed it up on a course that has tested the best players in the world, having hosted the 1971 Ryder Cup Matches and the 1999 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.
Three players shared the lead at 2-over par 73 after the course played a little tougher than anticipated. Scott Thomas of St. Louis and winner of the Metropolitan Senior Amateur last week at Norwood Hills Country Club is tied for the lead in his first Missouri Senior Amateur. The two others are Dennis Osborne of Ballwin and Mike Smith of St. Louis who is playing on his home course. Smith, Assistant Caddie Master and Caddie at Old Warson for the last 20 years, probably knows the golf course as well as anyone and parlayed that into a round of 3 bogeys and 1 birdie to tie for the lead. "The golf course played tough, but fair and I did not think that a 73 would hold up with this accomplished field," said Smith following his round.
Seventeen players are within 4 strokes of the lead heading into Wednesday's final round, including Chesterfield's Jerry Waitulavich (74) Kirkwood's Don Dupske (75), Jeff City's Gerald Siemons (76) and St. Louis' David Lucks (77). Missing in the accomplished field were Jim Holtgrieve and Don Bliss. Bliss withdrew just getting back into town after competing in the US Senior Amateur in Fort Worth, TX in which he qualified for the Match Play format, losing in his first round match. St. Louis' David Lucks also qualified to compete in the US Senior Amateur, but did not advance to match play.
Round two play begins off the 1st and 10th tees at 8:30 a.m. with the leaders going off the 1st tee at 1:42.
For Round 1 results, go here and for
Round 2 tee times go here.
