2026 PA Senior Open Round 1 Recap

PRESTO, Pa. – The top of the leaderboard is once again congested after the first round of the Pennsylvania Golf Association’s (PAGA) 6^th Senior Open Championship, contested this week at The Club at Nevillewood. Last year’s title was decided by just a stroke, and a pair of players are tied for first place with three-under-par 69’s after today’s first round – David Brown (Lindenwood Golf Club) and Jack Carrigan (Hartefeld National).

“I know it’s cliché, but it was just one shot at a time,” said Carrigan. “I had never seen the golf course before but I had a lot of family support, especially my wife, and plenty of good wishes before I headed out today. The greens were phenomenal and my putts went in. I still missed some, but I was very pleased with my putter today. From what I had heard about this course it sounded like breaking 80 would be a great score. There’s a lot of golf to play and we’ll see what happens, but winning a PAGA title is a good goal.”

Carrigan fired an even-par 36 on the front nine but started his back nine with birdies on holes No. 10 and 13. Bogeys on 14 and 16 were equalized by an eagle on the par five 15^th and a birdie on 18 put him into the clubhouse at three-under.

Brown also tallied five birdies in his round – on 5, 8, 9, 10, and 12 – with bogeys on 7 and 18 bringing him into the tie with Carrigan. Both players, registered as amateurs, are also on top of the Amateur Division leaderboard.

The pair remains one stroke ahead of Kevin Shields (The Club at Nevillewood) and William Smith (Allegheny Country Club), who both fired two-under 70’s on Monday. Shields, playing on his home course and leading the Professional Division, was the 2023 Senior Open champ and birdied four holes on the front nine in his round today. Smith birdied six holes but two bogeys (in addition to a double on 13) brought him back down into the tie for third place.

A trio of players, the only other competitors under par, sit tied for fifth place with one-under 71’s: Terry Hatch (Royal Oaks), Erik Bertrand (Chartiers Country Club), and Jeff Frazier (Carlisle Country Club). 

Another former champion, Woodloch Springs’ John Pillar, who won the inaugural Senior Open title in 2021, is currently tied for eighth place with Joe Boros (Treesdale Golf & Country Club) after shooting an even-par 70.

The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of The Club at Nevillewood 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.