Vogel jumps to top of crowded leaderboard
Michael Gligic and Robby Shelton had their mojo working early in Round 2 of the Bayview Place Cardtronic Open presented by the Times Colonist on Friday morning.
After dealing with wicked winds on the Thursday afternoon draw — which left some leaderboards, signage and porta potties toppled on the Uplands Golf Club grounds — the two attacked the course with plenty of vigour, moving within striking range.
Playing together, Gligic, of Kitchener, Ont., and Shelton, of Alabama, came in with solid rounds of 8-under 62 and 7-under 63, respectively, to pull into the top 10.
They are still chasing leader T.J. Vogel of of Jacksonville, Florida, who matched Shelton’s morning round of 63 on what turned out to be a delightfully sunny afternoon with perfect conditions.
Vogel’s 12-under 128 total is two strokes better than firstround leader Jhared Hack, of Sanford, Florida, who managed just a 1-under 69 after a courserecord tying 61 the day before.
Vogel, a former Florida Gator who also played The Masters in 2013 due to his win at the 2012 U.S. Amateur Public Links, sunk his teeth into the round with four birdies on each side, with a single bogey. He was also the 36-hole leader last week in Vancouver and finished tied for 14th.
“I want another chance. I had a really poor Saturday last week, and I just want to take the stuff that I went over and learned and put it into effect for [today] and see if I can shoot another low one,” he said.
“I felt like I was a little passive maybe [last] Saturday and got off to an iffy, slow start. [Today] I want to just keep doing what I’m doing and tell myself, I want more.”
Unlike Gligic and Shelton, Vogel benefited from the draw in which he eluded Thursday’s winds and Friday’s cooler start to the day.
Gligic and Shelton were very much stories in Round 2, not to mention the brilliant job by the grounds crew who had plenty of messes to contend with after Thursday’s windstorm.
“I got off to a good start, made a couple of birdies early and used that momentum to keep it going all around,” said Gligic, a veteran who has made more than $150,000 on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada, having turned pro at 18.
“I made a couple of putts, was feeling really good with the flatstick and was able to convert some of the birdie opportunities,” said the now 27-year-old, who is very capable of going low. His tour best was a 60 in the 2011 Seaforth Country Classic, where he had a putt for a 59 and left it short.
The putter worked wonderfully on Friday. It was a putter that came out of renowned long-hitter Jamie Sadlowski’s basement — an Odyssey Black Series 1 wide, similar to Gligic’s trusty blade that he’s used for years. Ironically, Sadlowski, who missed the cut here, is expected to caddie for Gligic over the weekend.
Gligic, Shelton and Vogel all rode hot blades for the round.
“That was my first time playing with Robby. He’s a spectacular player. I know he was a college standout. It was good to see someone else in the group rolling them in,” said Gligic. “We were exchanging birdies for a while and that was good atmosphere.”
The two definitely feasted off each other.
“For sure, it always helps when you’re playing with someone that is going low,” said Shelton, who was a star at the University of Alabama and turned pro last year. “You feed off each other and that’s how the momentum was today.”
Gligic jumped 46 spots with his round that was nine shots better than his opening 71 and leaves him tied for fifth at 7-under 133. Shelton (72-63) leapt a whopping 60 positions and sits tied for ninth.
“Just to be on the [leader] board is nice and to have two more days to catch Hack is all you want,” offered Shelton after his morning round.
Only now it’s Vogel they are all pursuing.
Americans Ben Geyer (67-65) and Brett Lederer (64-68) are tied for third, four shots back.
No locals made the cut of 1-over 141, which includes 72 players.
CHIP SHOTS: After a bogey on No. 6 — his 15th hole of the day — Nick Delio eagled No. 7, birdied No. 8 and recorded par on what can be a tough par-3 No. 9 to just make the cut. … Sean Kelly’s approach on No. 15 spun back and into the hole for an eagle two on the par 4, part of his 5-under 65.