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Jeff Coston and Frank Esposito share 36-hole lead at Senior PGA PNC

By Randy Stutzman
Published on
Jeff Coston and Frank Esposito share 36-hole lead at Senior PGA PNC

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Former champion Jeff Coston of Blaine, Washington, posted a 6-under-par 66 on Friday afternoon at PGA Golf Club to catch Frank Esposito Jr. of Monroe Township, New Jersey, and share the second-round lead in the 26th Senior PGA Professional National Championship presented by Mercedes-Benz USA.

Coston, a 59-year-old PGA Teaching Professional at Semiahmoo Golf & Country Club in Blaine, Washington, turned in the day’s low round with eight birdies to offset bogeys at Nos. 12 and 18. 

Esposito, PGA Head Professional at Brooklake Country Club in Florham Park, New Jersey, and the first-round co-leader, finished his round bogey-bogey for a 70.

Both Coston and Esposito played the Wanamaker Course and matched the 36-hole scoring record of 10-under-par 134. That tied a mark first set in 2006 by Reed Hughes of Senatobia, Mississippi.

Steve Schneiter of Sandy, Utah, the 1995 PGA Professional National Champion, posted a 67 to land a stroke back at 135. Todd McCorkle of Birmingham, Alabama, (69) was alone in fourth; followed another stroke back at 137 by first-round co-leader Jim Deiters of Midland, Michigan, (73) and John Francisco of Westminster, Maryland (68).

Eighty-seven players made the 36-hole cut of even-par 144, advancing to the weekend’s final 36 holes on the Wanamaker Course.

Coston, the 2006 Champion who has was nursing a cold, knocked home a 35-foot birdie at 14 to highlight his round. Esposito, who tied for third last April when the Championship last visited PGA Golf Club, spoiled an otherwise steady round when he finished bogey-bogey on the Wanamaker Course, his only miscues of the week.

“I’ve been putting very well and the greens are really, really nice,” said Coston. “Today, I drove the ball better than I did yesterday. I’m only 32 years old, but don’t tell anyone that.”

Esposito missed three consecutive birdie putts from less than 10 feet to open his round, but bounced back with birdies at Holes 4, 5, 11 and 16. He hit his first 16 greens, before a bogey at the par-3 17th and scrambled to make a six-foot bogey putt at 18.

“I struggled putting today, which really was the only frustrating thing,” said Esposito. “Everyone knows the course pretty well, but they can put the pins in tricky spots and you’ve got to know where to hit your approach to have a chance for birdie.”

McCorkle, who tied for 15th in the PGA Assistant Championship two weeks ago at PGA Golf Club, eagled the par-5 first hole on the Wanamaker. He bogeyed the 10th and 18th holes, but was still encouraged.

“I’ve got probably 25 to 30 rounds under my belt on the Wanamaker,” said McCorkle. “It’s pleasing to my eye and that’s always good thing. I’ve played well the past two rounds. The putter has been hot and that’s a bonus for me. That’s not usually my strength.”

Deiters, PGA Head Professional at Midland Country Club, struggled in adjusting to the green speed of the Wanamaker Course. After rattling off nine birdies in Thursday’s opening round on the Ryder Course, Deiters managed just two birdies and had three bogeys on his way to a 73 in the second round.

“It was a struggle out there today. This game so often is not necessarily about how good your good shots are, but how good your bad shots are,” said Deiters. “I didn’t play as well on the Wanamaker Course as I was hoping, but I’m excited to play this course again. I have a lot of room for improvement.”

The 72-hole National Championship, which opened with  264 PGA Professionals who are at least 50 years of age and have qualified to compete in the Championship through one of the 41 PGA Sections, runs through Sunday.

The low 35 finishers in the Championship will earn a berth in the 76th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, May 21-24, 2015, at French Lick (Indiana) Resort.

The Senior PGA Professional National Championship features a $285,000 total purse.