Gavin Hall began the second round of the 2016 Porter Cup like a contestant who wanted someone else to win the event’s green jacket and oversized chalice. After a birdie on the second hole, a double bogey on the mundane, eagleable third and a four on the par-three fourth wiped out three of the shots he had snatched from par on day one, bringing him way back to the field.
At that point, Hall took off the horn-rimmed glasses and peeled back the business suit, playing like Superman the rest of the way. Avoiding bogey for the next fourteen holes, the Pittsford native scribbled birdies on his card on two of the front nine’s tougher par fours (the 462-yard 5th and the 480-yard 8th). He redeemed his par five game on the back nine, adding a birdie and eagle on the 11th and 13th, and closed with a deuce on the par-three closing hole. At morning’s end, Hall had fought off a charge from Australian national team member Harrison Endycott (whose 64 included 8 birdies and 2 bogies) and preserved a two-stroke margin over the field at -9.
Charging hard was Viraat Badhwar of Stanford. Riddle me this: how does a guy make three bogeys and shoot 65? Well, he makes six consecutive birdies (holes 10-15), adds another on 17, to go with a birdie on 8. Seriously, this guy birdied the two toughest holes on the course (8 and 17) and just lit that back nine for 29 strokes. Hard to believe he was over par on the front nine. Badhwar ended the afternoon in a tie for 3rd with Cambell University and Argentina’s Gaston Bertinotti, at -4.
Five golfers found themselves tied for fifth place with 36-hole scores of 3-under 137. Vincent Whaley, Justin Tereshko, Daniel Wetterich, Caleb Proveaux and Jake Shuman all posted scores in the 60s on Thursday to position themselves for a weekend charge (it’s the Porter Cup, so Friday counts as a weekend day!)
As for the locals, Lewiston native Michael Boss stands at 142, in a tie for 35th spot. Ben Reichert slumped to a tie for 53rd after following his opening 68 with a 77. Bill Gaffney sits at 146, in a tie for 55th spot.
