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Scores
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Williamsport Country Club is the 2025 host of the Pennsylvania Golf Association's (PAGA) 66th Senior Amateur Championship, which completed its first round on Monday. Lancaster Country Club's Brian Groff is the leader at the halfway point after firing a six-under 65 that was capped off by an eagle on the par-five 18th hole to end his day and open up a two-shot lead on Connoquenessing Country Club's Rick Stimmel, who sits in second place at four-under.
Groff started strong in his round, with birdies on three of the first four holes (1,3, and 4). He added birdies on No. 6 and 8 and finished four-under on the front nine. He played the back nine even par until the 18th, when he sank the eagle putt that proved to be the difference between himself and Stimmel.
In contrast, Stimmel, who has won two PAGA events already this summer, had a bit of a slower start. Starting on the back nine, he carded a double bogey on hole No. 12 but that was his lone trouble spot of the day. He birdied 15 and 18 on the back and 1, 5, 7, and 9 on the front to finish with a 67, just two strokes off the lead.
Defending champion Jeff Frazier (Carlisle Country Club) still lurks and is tied for third place with Oscar Mestre (Overbrook Golf Club) with three-under 68's. Rounding out the top 7 competitors is a trio tied for fifth place after all shooting two-under 69: Don Dimoff Jr. (Bon Air CC), Dan Brown (Manada Golf Club), and Rob Stoops (Butler Country Club).
In the Super-Senior Division, a pair of players are tied for the lead with one-under 70's: 2024 PAGA Super-Senior Player of the Year Brian Rothaus (Five Ponds) and Gary Daniels (Applebrook Golf Club). Rothaus was runner-up in last year's event while Daniels was tied for sixth, but both played solid golf on Monday, with Daniels tallying three birdies (on holes No. 6, 9, and 10) while Rothaus birdied 12, 16, and 18.
It's still anyone's tournament, though, with three more golfers tied for third place and just one stroke behind at even-par: Ben Cook (Bucknell GC), Rich DuCarme (Valley Brook CC), and Michael Capotis (Kahkwa Club).
Even another trio tied for sixth place at one-over isn't out of shouting distance, just two strokes back: Joe Lefavor (Sunnehanna Country Club), Jeff Hovanec (Hannastown GC), and Jim Mastromatteo (Overlook GC).
Defending Super-Senior Champion James Gavaghan (Commonwealth National GC) currently sits tied for 10th place with a three-over 74.
The final rounds for both divisions are scheduled for Tuesday, August 5, with tee times beginning at 8:30 a.m.
The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Williamsport Country Club for the hospitality shown during today's rounds. Additional thanks go to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event as the title sponsor of the PAGA.
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