Peter Kirwin has produced the equal low round of the day, a two-over-par 72 to vault to the lead after 36 holes of the NSW Senior Amateur at Duntryleague Golf Club.
Kirwin’s two-round combined score of 144 is enough to lead by two shots from a group of four golfers including David Bagust (Port Macquarie), Graham Blizard (Bardwell Valley), Warren Gorton (Hawks Nest), and overnight leader Peter Mitchell of Duntryleague.
Lurking within reach of the lead are several notables, including Kogarah’s Michael Musgrave and Graham Leake of the Links Shell Cove ay seven over, while former Champions Lester Peterson ( 2018 Champ) and Local Hope Robert Payne ( 2017 Champ) are at nine over.
With the conditions heating up, it was Kirwin, the 17-time Cowra club champ, who kept his cool around the famed Orange layout as the afternoon wore on.
Pressure
Starting in one of the last groups of the day, Kirwin maintained his composure as the leaders stumbled. Despite a bogey on the first, he soon bounced back with a birdie on the second. A second birdie countered three bogeys on his front nine, while birdies on the 14th and 16th balanced out bogeys on the 10th and 15th.
GALLERY pix: Round Two action from the NSW Senior Amateur Championships at Duntryleague.
Posted by Golf NSW on Tuesday, 17 November 2020
A dropped shot after failing to get up-and-down on the 18th was one of only a couple of errors in what would’ve otherwise been an even-par back nine for the 56-year-old.
“It was tough out there, I just hit a couple of bad shots.
“15 has got me both days, I’ve hit it right into the trees and had to chip out sideways.”
“But Fourteen is my favourite, I’ve birdied it twice,” Kirwin said post-round.
A regular pennant player around the district, the Environmental Manager said he expects to have some nerves when he begins the final round tomorrow. Regardless of the result, however, Kirwin said the week had been one he won’t forget in a hurry.
“This is the first seniors’ event I have played in. I am pretty nervous now, and I know I will be tomorrow too.”
“Whatever happens tomorrow won’t really matter. I’ve had a great week.
“We (alongside Mudgee’s John Osborn) won the foursomes on Monday.
“I’ve had a great week, it doesn’t matter what happens tomorrow,” he laughed.
