Caddie-less Tim Hogarth is medalist at CC of Detroit; several Michigan men make match play

He's his own caddie, and his caddie is doing a bang-up job.

Tim Hogarth shot a 7-under 65 and finished 10 under through 36 holes to earn medalist honors in the U.S. Senior Amateur at Country Club of Detroit in Grosse Pointe Farms.

Hogarth, of Northridge, California, set a pair of records for the championship. His 65 was the lowest score in U.S. Senior Amateur stroke-play history, and his 134 two-round total matched the best 36-hole showing. And he's done it all while carrying his own clubs this week, in some pretty intense heat, no less. He now will have the top seed entering match play, which begins Monday.

“You know that’s exciting,” Hogarth said afterward, speaking of the records. “Any time you do something that is meaningful in history, I’m proud of that.”

This is the third time Hogarth has earned medalist honors in a United States Golf Association championship. He won the 1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links championship.

This week marks his 37th USGA appearance, and first U.S. Senior Amateur. He reached the age requirement, 55, in June.

Through stroke play, he was four shots ahead of Chip Lutz of Reading, Pennsylvania. Another stroke back were Sean Knapp of Oakmont, Pennsylvania, and Sherill Britt, of West End, Pennsylvania.

U.S. SENIOR AMATEUR MATCH-PLAY BRACKET

At 3 under, and tied for sixth, was Ovid's Jerry Gunthorpe, who advances to the 64-player match play. He followed a first-round 71 with a second-round 70. He'll be joined in match play by Kevin VandenBerg, who was tied for 21st; VandenBerg lives in New York now, but used to be a Michigan resident, and in 2000, he won the Triple Crown of Michigan golf — the Michigan Amateur, the Golf Association of Michigan's Championship and the GAM's Mid-Amateur.

Commerce Township's Tom Gieselman bounced back from an opening 76 with a 70 to make match play, and Orchard Lake's Rich Herpich made match play on the number with a 72 following his Saturday 76.

Harbor Springs' Chris Chocola (8 over) and Clarkston's Mark Eriksen (16 over) missed the cut.

Hogarth made birdie on four of his last five holes, playing a morning tee time in relatively calm conditions. He could've own the single-round and 36-hole scoring records to himself if not for two three-putt pars.

“Today was just better,” said Hogarth, who opened with 69. “Especially going into match play, to be hitting it really solid makes me feel good about it.”

Monday is a single-round of match play, following by a double round Tuesday, and another Wednesday with the quarterfinals and semifinals. The 18-hole championship match is Thursday.

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tpaul@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @tonypaul1984