Roger Chapman remains in contention for an historic Major double after a second successive 68 at Indianwood Golf and Country Club left him just two shots off the pace at the halfway stage of the US Senior Open.
The Englishman, who became the first European to win the US Senior PGA Championship since Jock Hutchison in 1947 when he claimed that title in May at Harbor Shores, is once again showing a love of Michigan with another fine performance.
“It's good here, isn't it?” he quipped. “I love it.”
And the course reminds him of home where he grew up on the great links of the South East coast.
“My first impression, apart from the trees, was a type of linksy place,” he explained. “So having grown up on sort of Royal St. Georges, Royal Cinque Ports, Littlestone, those courses down there on the South Coast, yes, it's nice.”
Chapman admitted to going off the boil as he came to terms with his newfound status as a Major Champion after his win a few weeks ago but “it's slowly and surely coming back.”
“I feel very comfortable driving the ball this week, and that's what I did at Benton Harbor really well,” he said. “Everybody said at the start of the week if anybody drives the ball really well, then they'll score well.”
Joining Chapman on four under par are fellow European Senior Tour Members Dick Mast, winner of the Senior Tour Qualifying School at the start of the year, and former US Senior Open Champion Bernhard Langer.
Mast matched Chapman’s rounds of 68 while Langer followed up his opening 66 with a level par 70, and finished with the sense it could have been lower.
“I hit a lot of good, decent long shots, but the putter was ice cold today, couldn't make anything,” he said. “I made one putt for par from about ten feet and a two putt for birdie, and that was it. So left a few out there.”
Andrew Oldcorn also returned a sub par score with a 69 to lie at one under par at the halfway stage and Gary Wolstenholme was on level par while Barry Lane, who will be playing in The Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes next week after progressing through Local Final Qualifying, survived the cut right on the four over par mark after a round of 74 to progress through to the weekend.
But the man to catch is Lance Ten Broeck at six under par after the American added a 68 to his opening 66. Tom Kite, who fireworks on his first nine holes during round one set the championship alight, is a shot behind at five under par following a level par 70.
