Bryan Hoops retains lead in Golfweek Senior Division National Championship
Two rounds into his title defense at the Golfweek Senior Division National Championship, Bryan Hoops has begun to pull away. Hoops began the tournament at Desert Willow Golf Resort’s Mountain View Course in Palm Desert, California, with a round of 4-under 68. In Saturday’s second round, Hoops had a 1-under 71 that left him at the top of the board as his chasers shuffled behind him.
Hoops, of Scottsdale, Arizona, began Saturday with a one-shot lead and by the end of the day, he was ahead by three shots. The 57-year-old has 11 total birdies this week and at 5 under for 36 holes, leads Chris Bailey of Rochester, Michigan, and John Wright of Oswego, Illinois, by three shots. Both Bailey and Wright had second-round 69s.
While Bailey had a clean card that included only one bogey, Wright’s wild back nine included just one par. He also had five birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey. A year ago, Hoops won the Golfweek Senior Division National Championship before logging two more tournament wins in the following days in the California desert.
He is currently the top-ranked player aged 55 and over in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Only seven players remain under par for 36 holes at Desert Willow, including four players tied for fourth at 1 under: John Adams of San Clemente, California; Todd Doss of Mandeville, Louisiana; Trae Cassell of Riverdale, Georgia; and Randy Haag of Orinda, California. Scott Stevens of Encinitas, California, had the only other sub-70 round for the day – a 69 that moved him into a tie for eighth at even par.
The 54-hole event concludes Sunday before the Golfweek Senior Amateur begins at Desert Willow’s Firecliff Course on March 30. This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Bryan Hoops retains lead in Golfweek Senior Division National Champ