Gary Robison-Greg Boyette lead PGA Senior-Junior Team Championship

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — You’ve got to make some medium-range putts to shoot a 61, but it doesn’t hurt when you make a couple of bombs.

  

Greg Boyette made a 25-foot birdie on the third hole, his partner Gary Robison made a 100-footer on the fourth and away they went Wednesday. The 11-under 61 on the Wanamaker Course gave them a two-shot lead at 23-under heading into the final round of the PGA Senior-Junior Team Championship at PGA Golf Club.

  

“We made some long putts early and that gave us some momentum,” said Robison, who won the PGA Quarter Century Championship earlier this month. “One of the keys is you and your partner not making a birdie on the same hole.”

 

SCORES: Leaderboard from the PGA Senior-Junior Team Championship  

 

Robison of North Canton, Ohio and Boyette of Awendaw, S.C., lead by two over Craig Bowden of Bloomington, Ill., and Brad Melton of Coatesville, Pa. They shot a 64 on the Ryder Course to move to 21-under, helped by Melton’s eagle at the par-4 10th.

  

“We’re just trying to hit the best shot we can and play good golf,” Melton said. “We like (birdie) chances.”

  

Bowden said one thing may be going in their favor when they play with the leaders tomorrow.

  

“For some reason, all three days the guys we played with have played awful. We must be intimidating to play with,” Bowden said, smiling.

  

Three teams are tied for third place: Second-round leaders Mike Martin of New Haven, Ct., (67) and Peter Ballo of Stamford, Ct.; 2017 champs Mark Brown (64) of Oyster Bay, N.Y., and Matt Dobyns of Glen Head, N.Y.; and Mark Tucker (62) of New Hartford, N.Y., and Eric Mabee of Pittsfield, Mass.

  

“Three back is definitely doable,” said Ballo, who won Event No. 6 of the PGA Tournament Series last month. “It’s good to be chasing.”

  

There were three holes-in-one made Wednesday: Jonathan Mansfield on Wanamaker’s sixth hole with a 6-iron from 177 yards, Rick Schuller on the Ryder’s sixth hole with a 6-iron from 199 yards and Mike San Filippo on the Dye’s third hole with a 4-iron from 172 yards.

  

The final round will be played on the Wanamaker Course. The winning team will split $10,000. The cut came at 10-under, with 40 teams advancing.

   

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