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Broadhurst tied with Toledo but will he triumph at Oak Hill?

Northamptonshire County’s two-time  Seniors Major winner is tied for the lead at the KitchenAid PGA Seniors Championship at Oak Hill, in New York, with two rounds to play. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Northamptonshire County’s two-time Seniors Major winner is tied for the lead at the KitchenAid PGA Seniors Championship at Oak Hill, in New York, with two rounds to play. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE County’s Paul Broadhurst carded the only bogey-free round of the day at Oak Hill Country Club as he took a share of the lead after the second round of his defence of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.

The Midlands-raised Ryder Cup ace, who has two Senior Major championshps to his name, ended Friday’s play tied at the top of the leaderboard with fellow Staysure Tour member Esteban Toledo, from Mexico, as the pair carded three-under par rounds of 67.

Fifty-three-year-old Broadhurst, who won last year’s PGA Seniors at Harbor Shores, said: “To be bogey-free around this course is absolutely delightful. We were lucky; half the draw got it really easy because it’s never going to play that easy again. I’ve said all along that level par could win it, and if we get any sort of wind that might be the case.

“I can draw a lot from past experiences. Last year was a little bit different, because I didn’t take the lead until late on the Sunday – so I played my way through the field. It’s nice to lead a tournament whenever.

“There are two rounds to go. I’m not jumping the gun or looking ahead too much. I just want to play consistently like I have these last two days and keep the mistakes to a minimum.”

A two-time John Jacobs Trophy winner for topping the Staysure Tour Order of Merit in 2016 and 2018, Broadhurst has eight victories on both sides of the Atlantic since turning 50 in 2015 – including the 2016 Seniors Open at Carnoustie, to go with this six European Tour victories racked up between 1989 and 2006.

Fifty-six-year-old Toledo is a four-time winner on the PGA Champions Tour circuit, whose last win came in the Allianz Championship in 2016.

Toledo said:  “It’s a tough golf course. I hit the ball pretty much on the fairway all day long. I made a lot of putts. The way I handled all the shots coming down the stretch, it was exciting for me.

“My caddie kept me relaxed a little bit and that made the difference. I usually get tense, but he kept me loose. A lot of things can happen over the next two days. I just have to go out there and do whatever I’ve got to do.

“I was thinking if I could shoot par that would be great, but then I started making birdies and I was relaxing and hearing people cheering for me – it was really exciting.”

The pair are two strokes ahead of two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen and overnight leader Scott Parel. Both South Afrian Goosen, who won his US Opens in 2001 at Southern Hills and at Shinnecock in 2004, and Parel lost ground on the formidable par-70 East Course at Oak Hill, carding rounds of 72 and 73 respectively.

The quartet are the only golfers in the field to finish their first two rounds under par as American’s Jerry Kelly and John Riegger share fifth place on level par.

Paul Lawrie, in his first year on the over-50s circuit, carded a two over par round of 72 to share seventh place on one-over.

Lawrie said: “I haven’t played a lot of golf in the last 14 months, so to have an outside chance after two days I’m happy enough. But I’m a golfer, and I’m never happy – it’s not part of the deal.

“I was grinding it out on the last few holes, and that’s what I’ve been missing. You need to play competitively to be able to do that. I could have easy been three or four over there, so I’m pretty pleased.”

The 1999 Open Champion is one stroke ahead of a fellow Claret Jug winner, as Darren Clarke, winner at Royal St Georges in 2011, shares 13th place on two-over.

In total, 78 competitors made the cut, including 19 Staysure Tour members, which fell at nine-over par.

 

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