Vannelli Earns Medalist Honors

At 2004 USGA Senior Amateur

Los Angeles, Calif. - Ronald Vannelli, 56, of Edison, N.J., recorded a 36-hole total 4-over-par 144 to earn medalist honors by a stroke at the 2004 USGA Senior Amateur Championship, being conducted at the par-70, 6,491-yard Bel-Air Country Club.

Stroke play concluded Monday for the 44 players who did not finish their second round when play was suspended Sunday due to darkness.

After a double bogey on the par-4, 390-yard 12th hole (the third of his round), Vannelli recorded six consecutive pars before a bogey on the par-5, 482-yard first hole. He finished with birdies on the par-4 seventh and ninth holes for a 1-over-par 71.

"I am amazed," said Vannelli of winning medalist honors. "I'm thrilled to death and honored beyond belief. I'm just honored just to be here, to tell you the truth. I read about all these guys who are here in all the golf magazines, and here I am."

Since turning 50 years old, Vannelli has played in five USGA championships - two Senior Opens, two Mid-Amateurs, and this Senior Amateur.

"I seem to be getting better for some reason," said Vannelli.

Ernie Newton, 57, of High Point, N.C, finished one shot off Vannelli's pace after a second-round 1-over-par 71.

First-round leader and defending champion Kemp Richardson, 58, of Laguna Niguel, Calif., finished two strokes back. He will face Frank Abbott, 61, of Napa, Calif., in Monday afternoon's first-round match. In the 2003 Senior Amateur final, Richardson outlasted Abbott in 19 holes to win the championship.

Also finishing two back was Steve Bogan, 56, of Placentia, Calif., who had the shot of the second round with a hole-in-one on Bel-Air's stunning 10 th hole, a 195-yard par 3 featuring an uphill shot over a canyon to a two-tiered green. Bogan, using a 3-wood, couldn't see the ball go in the hole.

"Anytime it goes in, it's a surprise," Bogan said. "I knew it was right on the line, but I certainly wasn't thinking about it going in. I thought I hit it too hard."

Among those advancing to match play were 1972 U.S. Amateur winner Vinny Giles, 61, of Richmond, Va.; four-time USA Walker Cupper Bob Lewis Jr., 60, of Pepper Pike, Ohio; 2002 USGA Senior Amateur champion Greg Reynolds, 57, of Grand Blanc, Mich.; 1998 and 2000 champion Bill Shean Jr. of Hinsdale, Ill. and two-time USA Walker Cupper Marty West, 56, of Rockville, Md.

The championship continues with the first round of match play Monday, and run through Thursday's 18-hole final match.

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

Story written by Beth Murrison of USGA media relations. You can reach her at bmurrison@usga.org.

Results

Los Angeles, Calif. - Scores following the second round of stroke play at the 2004 USGA Senior Amateur Championship, which concluded Monday at the par-70, 6,491-yard Bel-Air Country Club.

Ronald Vannelli, Edison, N.J., 73-71--144

Ernie Newton, High Point, N.C., 74-71--145

Kemp Richardson, Laguna Niguel, Calif., 69-77--146

Steve Bogan, Placentia, Calif., 75-71--146

Billy Clagett, Austin, Texas, 72-75--147

Steven Hakes, San Diego, Calif., 71-76--147

Chip Stewart, Dallas, Texas, 72-77--149

David Boesel, Winter Park, Fla., 74-75--149

Kent Christopher, Farmington, Utah, 70-79--149

Mark Bemowski, Mukwonago, Wis., 70-79--149

Michael Walters, Tampa, Fla., 76-73--149

Robert Lewis Jr, Pepper Pike, Ohio, 77-72--149

Ronnie Tumlin, Saint Augustine, Fla., 77-72--149

Bill Shean Jr, Hinsdale, Ill., 73-77--150

Dick Van Leuvan, Roswell, Ga., 77-73--150

Edward Fletcher, Mashpee, Mass., 75-75--150

Gary Hardin, Fort Worth, Texas, 75-75--150

David Brookreson, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., 79-72--151

Gary Koprivica, Missoula, Mont., 74-77--151

Greg Reynolds, Grand Blanc, Mich., 75-76--151

John Baldwin, Palm Beach, Fla., 75-76--151

R Scott Carnes, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 74-77--151

Rick Weihe, Bellingham, Wash., 76-75--151

Roy Holloway, Monroe, La., 77-74--151

Spencer Sappington, Alpharetta, Ga., 77-74--151

Steven Hoffman, Savannah, Ga., 77-74--151

Woody Thames, Dallas, Texas, 77-74--151

David Lind, Burr Ridge, Ill., 79-73--152

Gene Ryzewicz, Westport, Conn., 75-77--152

Jim Dines, Albuquerque, N.M., 74-78--152

Jim Ruschioni, Leominster, Mass., 78-74--152

Martin West, Rockville, Md., 74-78--152

Stephen Yavorsky, Capistrano Beach, Calif., 77-75--152

Van Salmans, Chicago, Ill., 76-76--152

Alan Foster, Manlius, N.Y., 79-74--153

James Smith, Orchard Park, N.Y., 79-74--153

Jerry Cundari, Portland, Ore., 72-81--153

Johnny Stevens, Wichita, Kan., 71-82--153

Joseph Keller, Osterville, Mass., 78-75--153

Tony Lehman, Santa Barbara, Calif., 77-76--153

Bob Blomberg, Alameda, Calif., 78-76--154

Bob Heaton, Oakley, Calif., 76-78--154

Gary Daniels, Center Valley, Pa., 79-75--154

Gregory Scurlock, Augusta, Ga., 78-76--154

Jack Vardaman, Washington, D.C., 73-81--154

Jim Mc Murtrey, Fair Oaks, Calif., 75-79--154

Roger Gunderson, Aurora, Colo., 79-75--154

Ted Lyford, Redlands, Calif., 76-78--154

Tim Thompson, Memphis, Tenn., 77-77--154

Alex Tarumianz, Lookout Mountain, Tenn., 80-75--155

Brian Sachs, Gainesville, Fla., 76-79--155

Dick Iverson, Lake Oswego, Ore., 79-76--155

Fred Cox, North Palm Beach, Fla., 70-85--155

Greg Shaw, Little Rock, Ark., 81-74--155

John Seehausen, Palatine, Ill., 75-80--155

Joseph Cristillo, Crystal River, Fla., 79-76--155

Joseph Schmidt, Mchenry, Ill., 79-76--155

Roy Smethurst, England, 78-77--155

Timothy Miller, Kokomo, Ind., 79-76--155

Tom Grady, Marshall, Va., 77-78--155

Vinny Giles, Richmond, Va., 78-77--155

Frank Abbott, Napa, Calif., 81-75--156 (3, 4)

David Carrera, Latrobe, Pa., 78-78--156 (3, 4)

Larry Walsh, Buda, Texas, 81-75--156 (3, 4)

Failed to Qualify

Norman Swenson, Charlotte, N.C., 78-78--156 (3, 5)

Sam Farlow, Birmingham, Ala., 79-77--156 (3, 5)

Bruce Richards, Bellevue, Wash., 80-76--156 (4)

Henry Hodde, Santa Fe, N.M., 79-77--156 (4)

Roy Vomastek, Cadillac, Mich., 77-79--156 (4)

O D Gardner, Yorktown, Va., 74-82--156 (5)

Fred Lukasik, Rock Island, Ill., 79-78--157

Jerry Greenbaum, Atlanta, Ga., 82-75--157

Jim Brown, Loudon, Tenn., 81-76--157

Keith Paterson, Rockford, Mich., 81-76--157

Merton Goode, San Francisco, Calif., 78-79--157

Mike Pharr, Hernando, Miss., 77-80--157

Rick Bauch, Delafield, Wis., 77-80--157

Robert Mielcarz, Concord, N.H., 79-78--157

Sam Williams, Salt Lake City, Utah, 74-83--157

Stephen Smith, Palo Alto, Calif., 79-78--157

Thomas Danluck, Miami, Fla., 78-79--157

Cannon Randall, Mesa, Ariz., 77-81--158

Frank Reaume, Pinckney, Mich., 81-77--158

Gordon Willins, West Chester, Ohio, 86-72--158

James Wallis Jr, Biloxi, Miss., 81-77--158

Jamie Gough, Fairfax, Va., 78-80--158

Jamie Kirkebo, Tacoma, Wash., 79-79--158

Jerry Gruidl, Plymouth, Minn., 80-78--158

Ronald Moore, Pinehurst, N.C., 85-73--158

Ted Smith, Wilkinson, Ind., 76-82--158

Tom Hadley, Hendersonville, N.C., 80-78--158

Bill Ploeger, Columbus, Ga., 79-80--159

Bob Hullender, San Antonio, Texas, 75-84--159

Edward Craig, Orlando, Fla., 79-80--159

Jim Jensen, Park City, Utah, 79-80--159

John Hendricks, Mountain Lakes, N.J., 83-76--159

Michael Rose, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., 76-83--159

Arnold Edwards, Charlotte, N.C., 81-79--160

Charlie Post, Denver, Colo., 78-82--160

Dave Houghton, Orleans, Mass., 78-82--160

Douglas Vergith, Setauket, N.Y., 82-78--160

Edward Smith, Mesa, Ariz., 85-75--160

Jerry Kidney, Littleton, Colo., 77-83--160

Jim Lipe, Shreveport, La., 82-78--160

Karl Stewart Sr, Chino Hills, Calif., 78-82--160

Mike Hale, Pine Bluff, Ark., 77-83--160

Pat Vincelli, Burnsville, Minn., 79-81--160

Viviano Villarreal, Mexico, 83-77--160

Wayne Harris, Missouri City, Texas, 77-83--160

Al Sharpe, Carmel, Calif., 80-81--161

Douglas Baker, Incline Village, Nev., 89-72--161

Edward Pascoe, Birmingham, Ala., 81-80--161

Gary Verble, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., 84-77--161

Jim Arnold, Tulsa, Okla., 80-81--161

Joe Malay, Boise, Idaho, 77-84--161

Ron Brewer, Leawood, Kan., 83-78--161

Thomas Olson, Omaha, Neb., 79-82--161

Bert Rogers, The Woodlands, Texas, 83-79--162

Carey Schulten, Dallas, Texas, 78-84--162

Francis Spadola, Napa, Calif., 88-74--162

John H Pickerel, Cashiers, N.C., 81-81--162

Robert Ferrel, Linville, N.C., 85-77--162

Robert Leaf, Excelsior, Minn., 77-85--162

Roger Null, Wentzville, Mo., 85-77--162

Frank Perry, Fayetteville, Ga., 82-81--163

Jerry Greer, Tulsa, Okla., 83-80--163

Robert Carver, Fullerton, Calif., 84-79--163

Roberto Duran, Panama, 82-81--163

Tom Bergeron, Gill, Mass., 84-79--163

Warren Shafer, San Diego, Calif., 85-78--163

William Dober, Fairfield, Conn., 81-82--163

Frank Brame, Alexandria, La., 82-82--164

Jim Taggard, Blaine, Wash., 79-85--164

John Cearnal, Fort Worth, Texas, 80-84--164

Lee Brandt, Sioux Falls, S.D., 80-84--164

Matthew Bellis, Ambler, Pa., 83-81--164

Daniel Gregg, Ann Arbor, Mich., 88-78--166

Kerry Lewis, Pittsburgh, Pa., 85-81--166

Pete Mc Dade, San Diego, Calif., 86-80--166

James Smith Jr, Wilmington, N.C., 85-82--167

Dave Bates, Newburgh, Ind., 84-84--168

Shigeru Matsui, Honolulu, Hawaii, 84-84--168

Tom Perry, Indianapolis, Ind., 84-84--168

Elvin Gonzalez, Dorado, PR, 81-88--169

Guy Smith, Lexington, N.C., 83-86--169

John Betonte, Cleveland, Ohio, 81-90--171

Skip Juris, Dublin, Ohio, 81-90--171

Doug Tambara, Huntington Beach, Calif., 86-86--172

Grant Renne, Prairie Villiage, Kan., 84-88--172

Merritt Cook, Lombard, Ill., 82-91--173

David Cox, Mission, Texas, 89-89--178

George Van Kirk, Grand Forks, N.D., 90-93--183

Curtis Madson, Mount Dora, Fla., 81-WD--WD

Terry Chercourt, Jacksonville, Fla., 86-WD--WD