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Steve Schneiter Leads 2022 Senior PGA Professional Championship After Two Rounds
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Steve Schneiter knows what it takes to pursue a championship.
After all, the 59-year-old was the first PGA Member to claim both a PGA Professional Championship (1995) and a Senior PGA Professional Championship (2016).
Schneiter, an Assistant PGA Professional at Schneiter’s Pebblebrook in Sandy, Utah (Utah PGA Section), holds a three-shot lead at 13-under par 131, heading into the weekend at the 2022 Senior PGA Professional Championship presented by Cadillac at Twin Warriors & Santa Ana Golf Clubs in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico.
The 20 PGA Club Professionals competing in the PGA Championship pose for a photo (L-R): Rod Perry, Dustin Volk, David Hronek, Ryan Helminen, Steve Schneiter, Jerry Smith, Jim McGovern, Bob Sowards, Matt Pesta, Michael Block, David Tentis, Stuart Deane, Dave McNabb, Brian Norman, Johan Kok, Aaron Krueger, Eric Williamson, Rob Corcoran, Frank Esposito, Jamie Broce during Practice Rounds at the 96th PGA Championship, at Valhalla Golf Club, on August 5, 2014 in Louisville, KY. (Photo by Montana Pritchard/The PGA of America)
Schneiter has been in this situation before, atop the leaderboard in an event competing against 263 other talented PGA Members. And he knows it all starts with controlling one’s mind and emotions, while staying focused on the process.
“I’ve had pretty good success in these Club Pro tournaments,'' Schneiter said. “That’s what I’m going to draw on, my past success.”
Schneiter recorded a 6-under par 66 on Friday at Santa Ana Golf Club. Beginning the round on the back nine, he ended his day on a high note, going birdie-eagle on the 386-yard par-4 8th, and 314-yard par-4 9th holes.
“I drove it on the (ninth) green and had a 15-footer,” Schneiter said. “It was a good finish. That was nice.”
Champion Steve Schneiter poses with the Leo Fraser Trophy after the awards ceremony for the Senior PGA Professional Championship held at PGA Golf Club on November 20, 2016 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Montana Pritchard/PGA of America)
Schneiter, who is one of 12 past Champions in the field, is pleased with his performance so far and is eager to continue his pursuit of the Leo Fraser Trophy on Saturday.
“You don’t win it in two days, but you have to get in position and just keep playing,” Schneiter said. “Hitting the shots, staying focused when it’s time to execute the shot or the putt. That’s what I’m trying to do. When it’s time to pull the trigger, trust it and do what I’ve done for my whole career.”
David Hronek hits his shot on the 10th hole during the second round of the 34th Senior PGA Professional Championship at Twin Warriors Golf Club on October 14, 2022 in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/PGA of America)
At 10-under par for the first two rounds, David Hronek and Jeff Gove share second, and trail Schneiter by three strokes. Hronek, a GOLFTEC Sarasota Coach from the North Florida PGA Section, began the day in the top spot on the leaderboard and shot two-under par 70 at Twin Warriors.
Gove, a PGA Life Member representing the Pacific Northwest Section, carded a 66 Friday to climb five spots up the leaderboard.
Jeff Gove hits his tee shot on the 10th hole during the second round of the 34th Senior PGA Professional Championship at Twin Warriors Golf Club on October 14, 2022 in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/PGA of America)
Among those tied for fourth place is Alan Sorensen, who entered the 2022 Senior PGA Professional Championship questioning his golf game.
“You know what’s funny is I came into this tournament with no swing,” Sorensen said. “The practice rounds, I was trying to find anything that worked.”
The General Manager at Buena Vista Golf Course from the Southern California PGA Section turned to the Internet for a solution.
Alan Sorensen hits his shot on the 10th hole during the second round of the 34th Senior PGA Professional Championship at Twin Warriors Golf Club on October 14, 2022 in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/PGA of America)
“I was trying to get help from my local PGA Professional on YouTube,” said Sorensen. “I found something that worked on the driving range for the first round, so I made it work.”
Sorensen (-8) put together back-to-back rounds of 4-under 68, including a 5-birdie performance today. He will begin the third round tied for fourth with Cameron Doan (-8).
Defending Champion Paul Claxton, a PGA Life Member at Richmond Hill Golf Club and in the Georgia PGA Section, is 3-under par through two rounds and T-21.
The third round kicks off at 7:40 a.m. (MT) Saturday. Both the third and final rounds will be played exclusively on the Twin Warriors Course. Following Saturday’s round, a second cut will be made to the low-70 scorers and ties.
FIVE PLAYERS FROM TEXAS ADVANCE TO THE WEEKEND
Five players from Texas have made the first cut and will move on to the weekend in the 2022 Senior PGA Professional Championship.
- Cameron Doan (Preston Trail Golf Club, Northern Texas Section)
- Eric Bogar (Golfcrest Country Club, Southern Texas Section)
- Steve Jurgensen (Wildcat Golf Club, Southern Texas Section)
- Robert Thompson (Whispering Pines Golf Club, Southern Texas Section)
- Omar Uresti (PGA Life Member, Southern Texas Section)
A drone view of Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco. (Photo by Matt Hahn/PGA of America)
The top 35 finishers in Sunday’s final round earn a spot in the 2023 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, the first major to be played at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco in Frisco, Texas.
For more information about the 2022 Senior PGA Professional Championship, visit PGA.com.
