Spitalny a regular in U.S. Senior Am

Neil Spitalny has played in a few USGA championship tournaments.

His first came in 1968 at the U.S. Junior Amateur at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.

More than 30 years later, Spitalny played in the 1997 U.S. Amateur at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in Lemont, Ill.

"I skipped a few years," joked the Chattanoogan orthopedist.

Beginning Saturday, he'll play in his third straight U.S. Senior Amateur. He's sort of a regular on the senior circuit.

"It's different playing senior golf," Spitalny said as he packed for his trip to Kinloch Golf Club outside of Richmond, Va. "It's always a thrill. The courses are pristine, and the USGA has the pick of golf courses. They prepare them the same way for the U.S. Am, the Mid-Am and the Senior Am. The greens are fast but not outrageous."

Spitalny knows that because he qualified for the senior championship two years ago at Beverly Country Club in Chicago and last year at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, Fla.

"They make it fair as far as the length," Spitalny said. "And you always have the thrill of competition."

Spitalny, a member at Chattanooga Golf and Country Club, reached match play and won in the first round two years ago. He missed match play by four strokes last year in Florida.

Those experiences have helped set his goals for this championship, which is open to amateurs 55 and older with handicaps of 7.4 or better. The format is 36 holes of stroke play on the weekend with a cut to the top 64 for match play.

"My goal is to make match play and then go win a couple matches," Spitalny said with an eye on reaching the quarterfinals. That would give him an exemption into next year's championship.

"I know there are a half-dozen or more guys who are significantly better than me," he said. "I'd need them to knock each other out and then play fantastic myself."

Spitalny will be in the last threesome teeing off on No. 10 Saturday, at 2:18 p.m.

The USGA Women's Senior Amateur will follow a similar schedule starting Saturday at The Honors Course, with Charleston's Maggie Scott in the field.

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