Tingley, Whitney Share Lead After First Round of Senior Amateur
MIDDLETOWN, N.J. (May 6, 2013) - Familiar faces top a packed leaderboard after round one of the 86th Senior Amateur Championship at 
Navesink Country Club in Middletown, N.J.
Jon Tingley of Stanton Ridge and Cyrus Whitney Jr., of Hackensack are your co-leaders after 2-under 70s on a cold and chilly day. Tingley, the 2011 NJSGA Senior Open champ, managed to record four birdies and only two bogeys in the morning wave. Whitney notched five birdies and three bogeys in the afternoon.
"You know I've had some success at Navesink before," Whitney said. "I won the 2011 New Jersey Pre-Senior here, so I'm very familiar with the golf course."
Lurking just one shot back of the leaders is three-time Senior Amateur champion Steve Rose of Fresh Meadow. Rose took a year off from competition in 2012 due to a bad back injury and said he worked hard in Florida over the winter to get healthy.
"I was just trying to get my game back," Rose said. "At my age these rounds come fewer and fewer. But this is the highlight of the Senior Amateur circuit. This is by far the hardest senior tournament to win."
2009 champion Al Small of Fairmount is alone in third place after an even-par 72. Tom Yellin of Stanwich and 2012 MGA Senior Masters champion Bob Howe of Winged Foot share fifth place after 1-over 73s.
2007 Senior Am winner Jay Blumenfeld of Mountain Ridge, David Prowler of Bethpage, and past Met Amateur champion Ken Bakst of Friar’s Head sit only four shots back after 2-over 74s.
Last year’s champion Ron Vannelli of Forsgate shot a 6-over 78 and former Senior Open and Senior Amateur winner John Ervasti of Sleepy Hollow finds himself six back after a 76.
The final round will begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning, with players going off both the No. 1 and No. 10 tees. Live scoring will be provided for the final five groups.
Celebrating its 50th year in 2013, Navesink Country Club, located just five miles off the coast of the Jersey Shore, is hosting its first MGA championship. The Hal Purdy design has hosted LPGA Tour events as well as the New Jersey Open and Amateur championships.
