Bakst, Johnson lead four to U.S. Senior Amateur

HAWORTH, N.J. (August 2, 2021) -- Four players qualified for the 66th U.S. Senior Amateur Championship Monday at Haworth Country Club, with Ken Bakst of Baiting Hollow, N.Y., and Bob Johnson of Haworth, N.J., leading the field with 4-under-par rounds of 68. The pair will be joined at Detroit Country Club by Kevin Vandenberg of Pulaski, N.Y., and Tore Carlson of Katonah, N.Y., who each turned in 1-under-par rounds of 71, for the championship that takes place August 28 - September 2.

Related: Results

Bakst, the 1997 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, had a very consistent day. His lone bogey came on the 18th, at which point he was already out to a comfortable lead. His round was highlighted by the par-5 16th hole where he made eagle to push himself to 5-under.

Johnson, meanwhile, was more up and down throughout his round. After starting strong with two birdies in his first five holes, he made a double bogey on the 6th to drop back to even-par. After dancing above and below par for a few more holes he broke through on the par-4 15th, holing out from the fairway for eagle.

Vandenberg did his scoring on the back nine, making three birdies and no bogeys, while Carlson was faster out the gate, making birdie on three of his first four holes, then finishing his round by going even-par on the back 9.