Gary Vanier is teamed with Scott Anderson
(NCGA Photo)

Vanier, a member at Olympic Club, and partner Scott Anderson of Bridges GC took the first round lead at the annual NCGA Senior Four-Ball Championship on Monday, posting a 4-under 68 at par-72 Bayonet GC in Seaside.

Having started after most of the morning fog had burned off, Vanier and Anderson epitomized teamwork. On the front-nine, Anderson picked up three birdies (holes No.4, No.8 and No.9). After making the turn, it was Vanier, the 2016 NCGA Suoer Senior Player of the Year, who got hot, carding birdies on No.12, No.14 and the closing par-5 18th.

Overall, the two had seven birdies to go against just three bogeys.

There’s still two rounds left though, and the two have plenty of company near the top.

Just a stroke behind the leaders is a pack of two teams—Jamie Looper and Dale Bouguennec and Casey Boyns and Jeff Britton.

Looper and Bouguennec, the defending NCGA Senior Player of the Year, were solid, splitting four birdies to go against just one bogey on the par-4 13th. Boyns and Britton, the two locals, were sparked in part by a Britton eagle on the par-5 10th..

Right behind the three teams that are just a stroke back is another four that are just two off the pace after coming in with matching scores of 70. Included that group is the tandems of record five-time Senior Player of the Year Jim Knoll and partner Thomas O’Grady and defending champions Chip Lutz and Randy Haag. Haag is a record six-time Player of the Year, while Lutz is a former winner of the U.S. Senior Amateur.

Last year, Haag and Lutz made a huge push in the second round by carding a 66.

Following Tuesday’s second round, a cut will be made with the low 22 and ties advancing in the Senior Championship and low eight advancing in the Super Senior Championship.

SUPER SENIOR DIVISION

Over in the Super Senior Championship, things are also bunched up.

Emerging from the first round as co-leaders at 71 was the tandem of Serrano CC members Michael Davis and Sherman Haggerty and the team of De Laveaga GC member Rich Cleghorn and Pajaro Valley GC member David Hemrick.

Gleghorn and Hemrick managed to rack up four birdies, but the two would also post three bogeys.

Three teams are in at even-par 72, including the tandem of 2015 NCGA Super Senior Player of the Year Herb Jensen and Mark Miller.

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