Golf: Jackson grabs first-round lead at U.S. Senior Am

The strategy for the first two days of the U.S. Senior Amateur is simple; don’t shoot yourself out of a chance to reach the top 64 and advance to match play.

With Big Canyon Country Club playing like a U.S. Open with narrow fairways and substantial rough, golfers on Saturday were looking at par as a good number.

That was Tim Jackson’s thought going into the first of two rounds of match play, but he managed to take advantage of a hot putter and post a six-under-par 66 to be the first-round leader.

“I am not driving the ball,” said Jackson, who is from Germantown, Tenn. “I have been struggling the last two weeks with my driver and I struggled again today. I got away with it. I used a lot of 3-woods and hybrids off the tee which covered up for the driver. I putted very well. I had put the ball on good spots on the green so I could be really aggressive. That was the key.”

Jackson was one of only 16 golfers in the 152-player field to shoot under par. After Sunday’s second round of stroke play, the top 64 golfers advance to single-elimination match play, which begins Monday and concludes Thursday.

Newport Beach resident and Big Canyon member Don DuBois would like to be one of them. He struggled in the first round, posting a 3-over 75 and is currently outside the top 64 tied for 67th place.

Two-time US Senior Amateur champion Kemp Richardson, who is one of 11 USGA Champions in the field, shot a three-under 69 and is tied for sixth place.

“I played pretty well,” said Richardson, who underwent back surgery in June 2013. “I had two bogeys, but those were three-putts. Overall I was happy with my score.”

Chip Lutz along with James Gallagher, Bob Baker and Scott Mayne are two shots behind Jackson at four-under 68.

“I got out to a really good start, making four birdies on the front nine,” said Lutz, who is from Reading, Penn. “On the back I had a lot of good looks but nothing went in.”

Lutz preserved his score with an impressive sand save on the ninth hole, his final hole of the round. Lutz’s approach went into the left greenside bunker, but he got up and down, sinking a 10-foot putt to preserve par.

Staying around par was the goal for many that want to advance to match play.

“Today is trying not to make a big number,” said defending champion, Douglas Hanzel, who shot an even par 72. “Trying to make it back around. Par is great because this golf course is so narrow. You have your hands on the steering wheel because you don’t want to let one loose and make a double or a triple.”

Lutz knows all about getting to match play, he has made the semifinals of this event three of the last four years.

“This is all about getting to match play,” Lutz said. “My first concern is to do well enough to do that. I was fortunate enough to play strongly through qualifying last year and be medalist. I am really trying to get through this piece and get through to match play and hope that I am seeded well. As long as you make it, that’s what matters.”

But first-round leader, Jackson has no intention of playing conservative in Sunday’s second and final round of stroke play.

“I am going to put in a practice session today and see how I shoot,” Jackson said. “If it works I am going to come out and be aggressive and see how low I can shoot instead of just gliding through.”

One player that won’t make match play is Tom Yellin. Yellin, who is from New York City, shot a 73, but failed to sign his scorecard before leaving the scoring area and was disqualified.