Sheftic and Hargrove Share Lead at Open
YORK, Pa. - Making his first start as a professional, Haverford's Nelson Hargrove shot a four-under-par 66 to share the first round lead at the Allegheny Health Network 98th Open Championship at the Country Club of York. Sharing the lead with Hargrove is Merion GC PGA Teaching Professional Mark Sheftic, of Blue Bell, who used familiarity with the course for a strong start to the championship.
"The highlight for me today was that I didn't get myself in trouble," Sheftic said. "I was fortunate because I worked here for six years in high school and in college so it's kind of a homecoming for me."
Hargrove, meanwhile, is in front at a Pennsylvania Golf Association major championship for the second consecutive time, as he led the Pennsylvania Amateur at Oakmont CC in July after one round as well. The recent grad of Brown University and Gulph Mills GC member used seven birdies on the day to vault up the leaderboard.
"I putted great today and hit a lot of really good shots," Hargrove said, while explaining that he was "a little more nervous" on the first tee than usual given that it was in fact his first start as a professional.
Sheftic and Hargrove may have shot identical 66s, but the way they got to those numbers was far from the same. Sheftic had a bogey-free round and birdied holes 13, 14 and 16 down the stretch to post his number. Hargrove, meanwhile, had just eight pars to go against his seven birdies and three bogeys.
For Hargrove, the key hole was the par-4 9th, a 442-yard beast that is a par-5 for typical member play but was a par-4 in this championship. He said his best shot of the day was his approach on that hole, as he knocked it to eight feet before making the putt.
"That putt felt like an eagle to me," Hargrove said.
The venerable Donald Ross design at CCY stood the test in its first time hosting the championship since 1989. On an excellent weather day with a nice breeze and comfortable temperatures, the course stood out as an outstanding challenge of championship golf.
In the clubhouse at just one shot back of the leaders are a pair of Commonwealth golf stalwarts in John Pillar and Kevin Shields, who each fired a 67 (-3). Shields, of Pittsburgh, a three-time runner up in this event, including to Sheftic in 2011, was very solid with four birdies to go against one bogey on the day. Pillar, meanwhile, got as high as four-under after an eagle on the par-5 2nd hole, and the Director of Golf at Woodloch Springs had the morning lead after posting 67.
Four other players broke par on the day. Moon Township's Roy Vucinich fired a 68 (-2) that included five birdies. Butler's Robert McClellan blistered the back nine for a four-under 31 and three back of the lead, at -1. Cheltenham's Michael Brown is tied for sixth, also at -1, and is the low amateur after the opening round. Waynesburg's Robert Rohanna, the 2010 champion, rounds out the trio at -1 after posting six birdies to go against five bogeys in his first 18 holes.
A group of 10 players sits just four shots back, led by a pair of past champions. Defending champion Andrew Mason of Huntingdon Valley, was steady with 14 pars on the morning. Greensburg's Ryan Sikora, the 2004 champion, is also in that group at even par.
Round two is slated to begin Tuesday morning at 7:30 a.m.