Will it be slow and steady wins the race or lightning strikes this week at the Niagara Championship at Cherry Hill? Despite the impending storm clouds predicted for Saturday afternoon, it’s up to the golfers to determine this outcome. First-round leader Paul McConnell was well on the way to expanding his lead in round two, beginning with five birds and a bogey in his first twelve holes. Something went wrong on the 4th (he began play on the back nine) and from there it was fits and stumbles. McConnell closed with three bogies and a double bogey to drop four shots (he birdied the 6th) coming home. He ended the day at even par, minus-eight for the tournament.
Out on the course, David Pastore was making nothing happen through his first eleven holes. A birdie and two bogies had him spinning his wheels after an opening 66 placed him in good standing. Whatever McConnell lost, Pastore suddenly found. The Connecticut native and UVA grad ran off four birdies on holes 12 through 15, added another on 17, and salvaged a 67 on the day for minus-nine and a one-stroke lead.
He can't believe it as it burns the edge, but it's still a 67 for Pastore.
Leads by one at 9-under. https://t.co/66njM5MozT
— Mackenzie Tour (@PGATOURCanada) September 9, 2016
Close behind in third spot are the quartet of Aaron Wise, Mike Miller, Colin Monagle and homeland favorite Cory Renfrew of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Making one of the big moves on the day was Order of Merit leader Dan McCarthy, who birdied the 9th (his last) for 65 and a 42-spot jump up the leader board.
Play on Saturday begins early, at 8 am, from both the 1st and 10th tees. The forecast calls for afternoon rain, and the golf at Cherry Hill Club in Ridgeway, Ontario, Canada will be early and plentiful. The Niagara Championship is a 72-hole, stroke-play event on one of the world’s top professional golf tours.
(All photos and tweets courtesy of Mackenzie Tour PGA Tour Canada.)
