Polland joins two former national champs in lead at PGA Stroke Play

 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Ben Ben Polland of Manhasset, New York, made a seven-foot birdie putt on his final hole Wednesday for a 6-under-par 66 and a share of the second-round lead with former PGA Professional National Champions Rod Perry and Bob Sowards, in the 62nd PGA Stroke Play Championship presented by Premier Golf and GOLF ADVISOR.

 

Polland, a 24-year-old PGA Assistant Professional at Deepdale Golf Club, had seven birdies and a bogey on the Ryder Course at PGA Golf Club. His 36-hole total of 7-under-par 137 matched his playing partners—Perry, the PGA Head Professional at Crane Lakes Golf & Country Club in Port Orange, Florida, who shot 69; and two-time defending Stroke Play Champion Sowards, a PGA Teaching Professional at New Albany (Ohio) Country Club, who had 66, despite battling bronchitis. 

 

First-round co-leader Jeff Sorenson of Blaine, Minnesota, shot 71 and is two strokes back of the leaders, along with Rich Berberian of Derry, New Hampshire (70). 

 

“Yesterday I played well, but I made a couple of weak swings that landed in a hazard,” said Polland. “Today, I kept the ball in play, and the putter started to feel good on the back nine. I played solidly today.”

 

Last year, Polland held the 54-hole lead of the Championship but ultimately finished in third place behind Sowards.  

 

Sowards first felt sick a week ago, and said that he had not fully recovered heading into the Championship. 

 

“To shoot a 71 yesterday, considering the way I was feeling, I was really happy with that,” said Sowards, who owns four PGA Stroke Play Championships since 2005. “Today, I putted unbelievably well.  My last hole [No. 9] was the only time I was headed for anything looking like a bogey. I knew the moment I saw the pairings that [Perry and Polland] were two guys that I would have to beat to have a chance.”   

 

Perry, the 2013 PGA Professional National Champion, took his closing bogey in stride. “I didn’t putt as well as I would have liked. However, if you would have told me two days ago that you would be 7 under par and right around the lead, I’d have taken it. It’s going to come down to a battle the last day.”

 

Seventy players in the field of 138 made today’s cut at 7-over-par 151. They will compete for a total purse of $53,410, with the final 36 holes  to be played Thursday and Friday on the Ryder Course. 

 

The 16th Women’s PGA Stroke Play Championship, running concurrently at PGA Golf Club, will finish Thursday on the Ryder Course with Karen Paolozzi of Roswell, Georgia, owning a two-stroke lead.

 

The PGA Winter Championships conclude Feb. 10-13, with the 52nd PGA Match Play Championship on the Dye Course.

 

2015 PGA Winter Championships

62nd PGA Stroke Play Championship presented by Premier Golf and GOLF ADVISOR

Second Round

PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Ryder Course: 6,963 yards, Par-72

Wanamaker Course: 6,987 yards, Par-72

 

Bob Sowards, Dublin, Ohio 71-66–137

Rod Perry, Port Orange, Fla. 68-69–137

Ben Polland, Manhasset, N.Y. 71-66–137

Jeff Sorenson, Blaine, Minn. 68-71–139

Rich Berberian, Derry, N.H. 69-70–139

Jason Martin, Wheeling, W. Va. 68-72–140

Kyle Baehler, Greenwich, Conn. 69-71–140

Patrick Rada, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 74-67–141

Kirk Stauffer, Bradford, Pa. 70-71–141

Adam Rainaud, South Hadley, Mass. 72-69–141

Patrick Steffes, Milwaukee, Wis. 71-70–141

Rick Schuller, Chester, Va. 71-71–142

Brian Cairns, Walled Lake, Mich. 70-72–142

Jeffrey Martin, Warwick, R.I. 74-69–143

Ben Stewart, Fairborn, Ohio 74-69–143

Roy Vucinich, Moon Township, Pa. 76-67–143

Charles Meola, Mamaroneck, N.Y. 69-74–143

Mark Brown, Glen Head, N.Y. 72-72–144

Dwayne Randall, Clymer, N.Y. 72-72–144

Wyatt Worthington, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 72-72–144

Brett Melton, Washington, Ind. 72-72–144

Charles Raulerson, Fleming Island, Fla. 72-72–144

Kirk Hanefeld, Acton, Mass. 71-73–144

Jerry Tucker, Stuart, Fla. 71-73–144

Jake Pleczkowski, Siasconset, Mass. 72-72–144

Billy Anderson, Wilmington, N.C. 70-75–145

Joshua Rackley, Jupiter, Fla. 76-69–145

Rob Corcoran, Melbourne, Fla. 74-71–145

Mitchell Camp, Aurora, Ohio 76-69–145

Frank Bensel, Jupiter, Fla. 73-73–146

Christopher Marinaro, East Norwich, N.Y. 74-72–146

Frank Dully, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 76-70–146

Scott Berliner, Wilton, N.Y. 73-73–146

Keith Grassing, Somerville, N.J. 74-72–146

Colin Amaral, Port St. Lucie, Fla. 74-72–146

Liam Friedman, Lackawanna, N.Y. 68-78–146

Shaun Powers, Jupiter, Fla. 75-71–146

Matthew Sita, Glen Cove, N.Y. 74-72–146

Mike Thomas, Loveland, Ohio 72-75–147

Shawn Warren, Cape Elizabeth, Maine 72-75–147

Sonny Skinner, Sylvester, Ga. 72-75–147

Nick Frontero, Oviedo, Fla. 72-76–148

JC Anderson, O' Fallon, Mo. 72-76–148

Matt Noel, Nashua, N.H. 76-72–148

Steve Barber, Victor, N.Y. 75-73–148

Ryan Kalista, Greenwich, Conn. 79-70–149

Kyle Higgins, Massapequa, N.Y. 75-74–149

Bobby Heins, Purchase, N.Y. 76-73–149

John Kerins, Hermitage, Pa. 77-72–149

Remington Post, Ponte Vedra, Fla. 76-73–149

Anthony Aruta, Staten Island, N.Y. 73-76–149

Mark Faulkner, Marion, Ill. 72-77–149

Bill Sautter, Ocean City, N.J. 72-77–149

Michael Zaremba, Pueblo West, Colo. 76-74–150

Joseph Moore, Englewood, Ohio 73-77–150

David Allan, Terrace Park, Ohio 77-73–150

Mark Anderson, St. Simons Island, Ga. 75-75–150

Jaysen Hansen, Solon, Ohio 80-70–150

Michael O'Connor, Erie, Pa. 79-72–151

Jamie Puterbaugh, Carlsbad, Calif. 78-73–151

Bob Dolan, Chevy Chase, Md. 77-74–151

Pete Catanzaro, Hartsdale, N.Y. 75-76–151

Devin Gee, Oakmont, Pa. 75-76–151

Matthew McAdow, Woodmere, N.Y. 74-77–151

Nicholas Beddow, Shirley, N.Y. 78-73–151

Kevin Savage, Baldwinsville, N.Y. 75-76–151

Grant Sturgeon, Port Chester, N.Y. 75-76–151

David Quinn, Marlton, N.J. 74-77–151

Andy Santor, Boardman, Ohio 78-73–151

Larry Emery, Port St. Lucie, Fla. 77-74–151

 

Did Not Make 36-Hole Cut:

 

Patrick Hohman, Canton, Mass. 76-76–152

Gary Bashford, Alamo, Calif. 72-80–152

Clark Sisson, Germantown, Md. 76-76–152

Ryan Ford, Greenwood, Ind. 78-74–152

Sean Gorgone, Longwood, Fla. 76-76–152

Gregory McClimans, Clearwater, Fla. 80-73–153

Andy Hardiman, Stuart, Fla. 75-78–153

Daniel Callahan, Chaska, Minn. 80-73–153

Sam Arnold, Cincinnati, Ohio 80-73–153

Brian Lowe, Windham, N.Y. 77-76–153

Ryan Hritz, Clearwater, Fla. 81-72–153

Joshua McWhorter, Deep Gap, N.C. 82-71–153

Jeff Olson, Dublin, Ohio 78-75–153

Mike Paukovits, Wyncote, Pa. 73-80–153

Rob Schaal, Middlesex, N.J. 74-79–153

Rob Gick, Sands Point, N.Y. 76-78–154

Mike Martin, New Haven, Conn. 75-79–154

Kevin Loftus, Rocky Point, N.Y. 73-81–154

Ryan McClintock, Bettendorf, Iowa 80-74–154

Gary Robison, Canton, Ohio 74-80–154

Louis de Kerillis, Southampton, N.Y. 76-78–154

Brad Peck, Madison, Wis. 76-78–154

Bill Harvey, Albuquerque, N.M. 74-80–154

Aaron Ungvarsky, Wilmington, Mass. 76-79–155

Bryan Bessinger, Lakeland, Fla. 76-79–155

Bret Leon, Highland Park, Ill. 80-75–155

John Francisco, Westminster, Md. 77-78–155

Gregg Richbourg, Brewster, Mass. 79-76–155

John Paesani, Mattapoisett, Mass. 77-79–156

Gary Ostrega, Westfield, N.J. 82-74–156

Patrick Langan, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. 82-74–156

Scott Ford, Manhasset, N.Y. 82-74–156

Joe Gothmann, Tarrytown, N.Y. 81-75–156

Patrick Massi, Greenwich, Conn. 82-74–156

Jim Boyle, Cadillac, Mich. 78-78–156

Andrew Richardson, Norwalk, Conn. 74-83–157

Paul Barnsley, Orange, Conn. 83-74–157

Tyler Jaramillo, New York, N.Y. 81-76–157

Brian Janty, Evanston, Ill. 80-79–159

Brian Prokes, Port St. Lucie, Fla. 84-75–159

Justin Pollock, Ann Arbor, Mich. 83-76–159

Tyler Lower, Norwalk, Conn. 82-77–159

Matt Zdon, Lowell, Mass. 82-78–160

Kevin Syring, Demarest, N.J. 82-79–161

Chris Black, Lancaster, Ohio 83-78–161

Gary Hardin, Easton, Pa. 77-84–161

David Morano, Lancaster, Pa. 82-79–161

Lucas Langelier, Canton, Mass. 82-79–161

R.J. Austin, Waitsfield, Vt. 81-80–161

Jeb Boyle, State College, Pa. 79-82–161

Earl Cooper, Port St. Lucie, Fla. 84-78–162

Kevin Ausserlechner, West Harrison, N.Y. 86-76–162

Theodore Heins, White Plains, N.Y. 79-83–162

Gregory Rutkoski, Tarrytown, N.Y. 86-77–163

Bryan Dougherty, Jackson, N.J. 84-80–164

Justin Roberto, Williamsburg, Va. 79-86–165

Jamie Kilmer, East Williston, N.Y. 79-86–165

Joshua Fritz, Great Neck, N.Y. 83-83–166

Andrew Hardin, Chevy Chase, Md. 85-81–166

Adam Parisi, Holbrook, N.Y. 88-78–166

Christopher Dymek, Brielle, N.J. 85-82–167

Brian Giordano, Port Chester, N.Y. 89-79–168

Brian Keiser, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 87-81–168

Jason Peterson, New Canaan, Conn. 80-92–172

Garrett Carpenter, Staten Island, N.Y. 86-90–176

Dean Johnson, Hartsdale, N.Y. 87-93–180

Tim Puetz, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. DNS--DNS

RJ Ziats, New Smyrna Beach, Fla. 88-DNS--DNS

Alex Weir, Scottsville, N.Y. 83-NC--NC