Kulp Takes ‘Clubhouse’ Lead

for Medalist Honors at 137

Bristol, Va. – Bob Kulp, who set a scoring mark Saturday, took the lead for medalist honors with a 36-hole total of 6-under-par 137 halfway through the second day of stroke play at the 2003 USGA Senior Amateur Championship at The Virginian Golf Club.

Kulp, 57, a cosmetic dentist from Winston-Salem, N.C., followed his Senior Amateur-low 66 with an even par 71 Sunday to miss the Championship 36-hole scoring mark of 136, set by John Harbottle in 1993, by just one shot.

“If I really wanted to be medalist I would have been a little more aggressive,” said Kulp, who was a quarterfinalist in 2001. “My target score was 69. I just lipped out too many putts. I didn’t have to make a bunch of gaggers coming back. If I happen to get medalist that would be wonderful.”

Kulp, one of three players in the field from Forsyth Country Club in Winston-Salem, logged two birdies and two bogeys in his round. His successful summer includes a victory in the North and South Senior, a second in the Porter Cup and a fourth-place finish at the British Senior Amateur.

“I’ve had short spurts but under the gun this is probably as well as I have played for two days,” said Kulp, the 2001 Carolinas Senior Player of the Year. “I really feel like I can shoot under par.”

Two USGA champions were in good position to make match play: defending champion Greg Reynolds, 56, of Grand Blanc, Mich., finished at 143 and 1973 U.S. Amateur winner Vinny Giles, 60, of Richmond, Va., shot 146.

Bob Hullender, 66, of San Antonio, Texas, the 1994 runner-up, shot 145. He is playing in his ninth Senior Amateur.

Two-time champion Bill Shean, of Hinsdale, Ill., was in danger of missing the cut after shooting 158.

Mark Bemowski, 57, last year’s runner-up from Mukwonago, Wis., (67 on Saturday); Bruce Richards, 60, of Bellevue, Wash., a member of the USGA Executive Committee, (68 on Saturday) and two-time USA Walker Cup selection Marty West, 55, of Rockville, Md., (69) and David Boesel, 55, of Winter Park, Fla. (69) had afternoon starting times.