OAK RIDGE – Two players separated themselves from the pack on Thursday in the second round of the Tennessee Senior Amateur Championship at Oak Ridge Country Club.
Steve Golliher (Knoxville) and Mike Albonetti (Memphis) both turned in scores of 6-under, 66 and currently sit first and second, respectively, heading into the final round.
Golliher leads the way at 9-under, one stroke ahead of Albonetti.
Both gentlemen played in the U.S. Senior Amateur in Eugene, Oregon last month. Golliher advanced to match play after finishing 15th in stroke play qualifying.
Golliher, an 8-time Tennessee amateur tournament champion (1996 Mid-Amateur, 3-time Four-Ball, 4-time Senior Four-Ball) bogeyed his opening hole but then ran off a string of five straight birdies on holes 3-7. He added birdies on 11 and 12.
Albonetti also bogeyed No. 1 but added four birdies over his next seven holes. He eagled the par five, 14th and went bogey, birdie, par, birdie to finish his round.
Albonetti is in search of his first TGA championship.
Kenny Wilson (Murfreesboro) followed up his opening-round 70 with a 71 on Thursday and sits alone in third place at 3-under.
The two winningest amateur players in state history are tied for fourth.
Twenty-time TGA champion Tim Jackson (71-71) and 18-time winner Danny Green (72-70) both sit at 2-under.
Green is the defending tournament champion. He won the Tennessee Senior Amateur crown in 2012, 2014 and 2017.
Five more players are in red numbers at 1-under, including: Jeff Golliher (Powell), Craig McElhaney (Nashville), Bryan Rodgers (Knoxville), John Thomas (Knoxville) and Tom Schreiner (Chattanooga).
In the Tennessee Super Senior Championship, Jim Webb carded his second consecutive round of 2-under, 70 to currently sit at 4-under heading into the final round.
He has a two stroke lead over Tony Green (72-70) of Kingsport.
Two-time defending champion Neil Spitalny of Chattanooga currently sits in third place at 1-under after going 70-73.
Jack Ramsey (Germantown) is in fourth place at even par, while Cliff Thomas (Knoxville) rounds out the top five at 2-over.
COMPLETE SENIOR SCORING FOR ROUND ONE: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/1633237
COMPLETE SUPER SENIOR SCORING FOR ROUND ONE: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/1633322
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