PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Reed Hughes of Senatobia, Miss., continued his impressive play at the 18th Callaway Golf Senior PGA Professional National Championship on Friday to take sole possession of the lead after the second round at 10-under-par 134. Hughes made history by recording the lowest 36-hole score in Championship history, which was set by Ed Sabo of Tequesta, Fla., in 2002, with a 135, who then went on to win the Championship.
Hughes began his round Friday afternoon on PGA Golf Club's Ryder Course in a tie for fourth place and knowing that he had to make a run in order to improve on his finishes in the 2004 and 2005 Championships, when he finished in seventh and a tie for 69th places, respectively.
Hughes started on the back nine, where he carded two birdies, one bogey and six pars. He then came alive on his back nine with a 5-under 31 to take a one-stroke lead over Chris Starkjohann of Encinitas, Calif., and John Mazza of Beaver Falls, Pa., heading into Saturday's third round.
"On No. 2, I wanted to play safe off the tee, but pulled it to the left and then dumped it into the bunker. From there, I blasted it out onto the green, but missed the putt for a rocky beginning," said Hughes, the PGA Head Professional at Back Acres Country Club in Senatobia.
"After making the turn at 1-under, I didn't think that anything was going on in my round," he added. "Then I birdied No. 2 from four feet, continued with another birdie on No. 3 from six feet. Finally, I continued with birdies on Nos. 5, 6, and 8, which narrowly slipped in."
Starkjohann has only missed two fairways and four greens in his first 36 holes and carded a 4-under 68 Friday, while Mazza carded one of the lowest rounds, a 7-under 65.
Starkjohann, the 50-year old PGA Teaching Professional at Hodges Golf Center in Escondido, Calif., bogeyed No. 1 of the Wanamaker Course and bounced back with birdies on Nos. 6, 8, and 9 to make the turn at 2-under for the day and 9-under for the Championship.
"I hit a good drive on No. 1, but then pushed my second shot into the hazard. Then I blew it over the green and missed a 7-foot putt for par," said Starkjohann, a five-time Southern California PGA Player of the Year. "Despite the rough start, I came back and continued to drive the ball well, which is the strongest part of my game. As a result, I hit my drives further, leaving several short irons into the greens today."
Mazza played a bogey-free round to stand one stroke off the pace due to his excellent putting and touch around the greens.
"I got a great feeling today and I putted for 17 birdies. On No. 15, I hit an 8-iron to eight feet short of the green and sank the putt for my third of seven birdies of the day," said Mazza, a PGA Teaching Professional at Fox Run Golf Course in Beaver Falls, Pa. "My putting today truly boosted my confidence because I haven't been putting great for quite some time, so it's nice to get them dropping."
Jeff Coston of Blaine, Wash., Jerry Impellittiere of Palm City, Fla., and Lindy Miller of Fort Worth, Texas, are tied for fourth place at 8-under 136.
First-round leader Gordon Johnson, PGA Head Professional at Houston (Texas) Country Club, carded a 2-over 74 for a two-day total of 4-under 140 and stands in a tie for 20th place.
Seventy-nine players made the 36-hole cut of even-par 144 to advance to the final two rounds, which will be played on the Wanamaker Course.
Jim Logue of Canton, Ohio, recorded a hole-in-one on the 145-yard No. 5 of the Ryder Course with a 7-iron, but failed to make the cut.
Callaway Golf is in its fifth year as the title sponsor of the Senior PGA Professional National Championship. The top 35 finishers at the conclusion of Sunday's final round will earn a berth in the 2007 Senior PGA Championship, May 22-27, at Kiawah Island (S.C.) Golf Resort. The winner of the Callaway Golf PGA Senior Club Professional Championship will have his name inscribed on the Leo F. Fraser Trophy and will receive a first place check for $20,000 out a total purse of $285,000.
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