Past Champions Ploeger, Richardson Advance

To Third Round

Bristol, Va. –

Bill Ploeger follows through on the tee in his second-round win. (Sam Greenwood/USGA)

Past champions Bill Ploeger and Kemp Richardson advanced with clear cut victories in the second round of match play at the 2003 USGA Senior Amateur Championship at The Virginian Golf Club.

Bill Ploeger, 63, of Columbus, Ga., the 1999 champion and 2001 runner-up, defeated Gary Koprivica, 58, of Missoula, Mont., a quarterfinalist in 2002, 6 and 5. Richardson, 57, of Laguna Niguel, Calif., the 2001 champion, knocked off Jim Lipe, of Shreveport, La., 4 and 3.

“I chipped in for birdie on the first hole and it went from there,” said Ploeger. “I played pretty steady. Gary had an awful day for him. I feel fortunate and looking forward to this afternoon.”

In the third round, Ploeger meets Edward Craig, of Orlando, Fla., who beat Pete Parker, 69, of Winston-Salem, N.C., the oldest remaining player in the field, 1 up. Richardson, who is not taking a cart this week, will play Beecher Metzger, of Venice, Fla., in the afternoon.

Ploeger established a 6-up lead after nine holes and was the equivalent of 1-under-par through 13 holes.

Preston Davis, 59, of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., who had defeated medalist Bob Kulp Monday, added a second-round victory, 4 and 3, over Randy Reifers, 56, of Columbus, Ohio .

Fred Silver, 58, of Lewiston, N.Y., who defeated defending champion Greg Reynolds in the first round, lost to British Senior Amateur champion Roy Smethurst, of England, 3 and 2.

Mark Bemowski, 57, of Mukwonago, Wis., the second seed, won 4 and 2 over John Peters, of Muscatine, Iowa . He meets Bob Hullender, 66, of San Antonio, Texas, the 1994 runner-up. Hullender, who was leading 5-up after nine holes, advanced when his opponent Rick Smith, of Crystal Lake, Ill., 56, was unable to continue because of severe flu symptoms.

Bruce Richards, 60, of Bellevue, Wash., a member of the USGA Executive Committee and the third seed, won 2 up over Patrick McCabe, of Jupiter, Fla.

The eight third round matches began at 1 p.m. Winners advance to the quarterfinals and are exempt from qualifying for the 2004 Championship.

Play continues Wednesday with the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of match play and ends with Thursday’s final round.

The USGA Senior Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.

Results

Bristol, Va. – Results from Tuesday’s second rounds of match play at the 2003 USGA Senior Amateur played at The Virginian Golf Club (6,914-yards, par 71):

Preston Davis, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (151) def. Randy Reifers, Columbus, Ohio (148), 4 and 3

Frank Abbott, Napa, Calif. (146) def. Gaylord Davis, Portland, Ore. (145), 2 and 1

Bill Ploeger, Columbus, Ga. (143) def. Gary Koprivica, Missoula, Mont. (149), 6 and 5

Edward Craig, Orlando, Fla. (143) def. Pete Parker, Winston-Salem, N.C. (149), 1 up

David Boesel, Winter Park, Fla. (141) def. John Bracken III, West Hartford, Conn. (148), 2 and 1

Alex Tarumianz, Lookout Mountain, Tenn. (144) def. Robert Morris, Great Falls, Va. (146), 2 and 1

Gayle Sanchez, Baton Rouge, La. (151) def. H Andy Wall, Tyler, Texas (148), 1 up

Sam Farlow, Birmingham, Ala. (149) def. Stephen Isaacs, Richmond, Va. (150), 1 up

Mark Bemowski, Mukwonago, Wis. (138) def. John Peters, Muscatine, Iowa (148), 4 and 2

Bob Hullender, San Antonio, Texas (145) won by concession (illness) vs. Rick Smith, Crystal Lake, Ill. (149)

Robert McIntyre, Westfield, N.J. (150) def. Russ Berkoben, Perrysburg, Ohio (147), 1 up

Roy Smethurst, England (146) def. Fred Silver, Lewiston, N.Y. (150), 3 and 2

Bruce Richards, Bellevue, Wash. (139) vs. Patrick McCabe, Jupiter, Fla. (148)

John Gibbs, Oneonta, Ala. (149) def. A.B. Sisco, Pensacola, Fla. (150), 1 up

Beecher Metzger Jr, Venice, Fla. (147) def. Harcourt Kemp, Louisville, Ky. (151), 21 holes

Kemp Richardson, Laguna Niguel, Calif. (144) def. Jim Lipe, Shreveport, La. (149), 4 and 3