Beau Glover picked up where he left off Saturday during Sunday's second round 0f the Fourth of July Classic at War Memorial Golf Course.
Glover of North Little Rock shot a 10-under 54 in Saturday's opening round of the three-day tournament, then followed that up Sunday with a 4-under 60 to take a six-stroke lead over seven-time champion Chris Jenkins of Little Rock. Glover, who had a two-stroke lead over Jenkins to begin the day, increased the lead to six after the fifth hole then put it on cruise control the remainder of the round.
A 20-foot birdie putt at the par-3 first, got Glover rolling. Jenkins bogeyed the par-4 2nd to fall four strokes down, Glover made birdies on the 3rd and 5th holes to get to 13 under. He made his lone bogey at the 8th, but birdied the 9th and the 12th to finish the second round at 14 under in the 80th annual tournament, which concludes today after being pushed back two months because of course renovations.
"It's so important to get off to a good start here," Glover said. "To birdie 1 both days was very nice and then to get through 5 at 1 and 2 under is key. Fortunately today I got through there 3 under."
Jenkins, a two-time defending champion, found trouble at No. 2 when his tee shot went left across the cart path. He managed to beat the dogleg right with his second shot, but it went over the green leading to bogey to start a round of near misses and an inability to capitalize on the few mistakes Glover made.
"I probably left a minimum of five shots out there today," said Jenkins who opened with a 56, but managed an even-par 64 Sunday. "All the putts I made yesterday, I couldn't make today. I hit a bunch of good putts. I just didn't make them."
Glover's bogey at the 307-yard eighth came when his second shot rolled back down the slope in front of the front-left flag location. Another chip barely made the green, leading to a two-putt and the first blemish in 26 holes. Glover, 31, offset the bogey at the par-3 ninth when he made a 20-foot birdie putt to get back to 13 under and go out with a 2-under 29 and a four-shot lead.
Glover caught a break at the 12th, the lone par-5 on the course, when Jenkins pushed his drive right, hitting a tree branch 30 yards away that then ricocheted into the center about 75 yards from the tee box. That took any birdie hopes away from Jenkins who salvaged par, but gave Glover another chance to gain a stroke when he tapped in for birdie to get to 14 under and a five-stroke lead.
"There's a limb that hangs out that I have avoided the last 10 years," Jenkins said of his wayward drive. "I didn't avoid it today. I just clipped it, but it definitely turned it into a long par-5 for me."
Glover missed short birdie putts on the 15th and 17th, but was steady on other nervy par attempts on the back nine as he picked up a final shot on Jenkins, who fell six back after a bogey at the par-4 18th.
"I'm hitting my irons good and I'm putting it good," Glover said. "I just have to come out tomorrow and do the same things I have been doing the last couple of days and that's putting myself in good position off the tee and controlling the putter because you know there are going be some tough pin placements."
Little Rock's Tracy Harris, the 2000 champion, shot his second consecutive 3-under 61 to land in third place at 122, eight shots behind Glover and two behind Jenkins. The three will tee off today in the final group which is scheduled to start at 11 a.m.
Wes McNulty, a two-time past champion, came into the day six strokes behind Glover. Eight pars and a birdie on the front nine left him eight strokes behind the leader at the turn. A 2-over 34 on the back -- which included a double bogey at the par-3 17th and a three-putt bogey at the 18th -- took him out of contention. He'll begin today's final round 12 strokes behind Glover in fourth place.
Other second-round leaders include: Brett Lucas (Mid-Senior), Ronnie Johnson (Senior) and Jim Smith (Super-Senior). Andrew McCarty and Larry Sullivan will play in the Match-Play championship beginning at 7:40 a.m.
Sports on 09/05/2016