Just 19 miles from where golf’s first major of the year, the Chevron Championship, is being played, some of the world’s best senior amateurs are teeing it up themselves.
PGA West in La Quinta, California, is hosting the Golfweek Senior Amateur National Championship, just a 30-minute drive from the Chevron Championship at Mission Hills.
Don Whittemore and Larry Nunez are the two who share a spot at the top of the leaderboard in the 55-to-64 year old division. Both carded even par rounds of 72. With just 10 birdies between the duo, Pete Dye’s Dune Course flexed its muscles to keep the leaders out of red numbers. Robert Funk rounds out the podium after day 1 with a 1-over 73.
Meanwhile, super senior Jeff Burda used five birdies to propel himself to an opening 70 and to the top of the field in the 65-to-69 division. Close on his heels, Steve Cribari posted a 1-under 71 to lead the charge come Friday’s moving day.
Curtis Worley and Doug Hopton-Jones have a share of third place thanks to their even-par rounds.
The legend division is led by Peter Van Ingen and Wyatt Meyer who each just missed out on shooting their age. Their matching 75s are good for a single stroke lead over both Gary Hardin and Evan Long.
Six more golfers are within four shots of the leaders.
In the super legends division, John Walker takes the early lead after a 1-under 71. He holds a single stroke over a trio of men tied at even par. John Seehausen is 1 over and rounds out the top 5 in the 75+ year old division.
The second round tees off at 7 a.m. local time (10 a.m. ET) at the PGA West Mountain Course.
