Second Round Senior Open Notes

Thirty-five amateurs started the 2012 U.S. Senior Open, the most since 1995 at Congressional C.C and just two – Sean Knapp from Pittsburgh, Pa., and Douglas Hanzel of Savannah, Ga. – made the cut.

Sean Knapp is low amateur, in at +2, in a t36.

A total of 66 payers made the cut, including 16 sectional qualifiers. Lance Ten Broeck, the 36-hole leader at 6-under-par 134, is the first sectional qualifier to lead the U.S. Senior Open at the halfway mark since amateur Tim Jackson did so in 2009.

Ten Broeck’s 36-hole total of 134 is just one stroke off the lowest total of 133, which Tim Jackson shot at Crooked Stick G.C. in Carmel,  Ind. in 2009.

Ten Broeck caddied for Tim Herron at the 2012 U.S. Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif. Broeck also played in the 1985 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., where he missed the cut.

The oldest player in the field, Dave Eichelberger (68, born 9/3/43), made the cut. This is Eichelberger’s 19th consecutive U.S. Senior Open start.

Five past champions made the cut (Olin Browne, Brad Bryant, Fred Funk, Peter Jacobsen and Bernhard Langer).

Jay Don Blake recorded the second lowest 9-hole score in U.S. Senior Open history on his first nine with a 6-under-par 29. The 29 included five consecutive birdies, which ties the U.S. Senior Open record. Blake is the sixth player to record five birdies in a row at a Senior Open. He finished with a 5-under-par 65, which ties the second-lowest second-round score in championship history.

Driving Distance Leader: Steve Lowry - 316 yards

Fairways Hit: Bernhard Langer - 82%

Greens In Regulation: Bernhard Langer - 92%

Putts: Tom Kite - 1.44

Birdies: Jay Don Blake - 11

TC Chen made the cut in his return to a major championship in Michigan. Chen, if you will remember, made that infamous double hit in the 1985 US Open that cost him the Championship.

Notables missing the cut: Kenny Perry, Hal Sutton, Hale Irwin, Larry Nelson.

Notes and Statistics via USGA