Sigel’s Game Erupts As He Nabs Share Of Lead With 66

Local favorite Jay Sigel attacked the course with a 4-under-par 66 in the second round to take a share of the lead with John Schroeder at the Senior PGA’s $900,000 Bell Atlantic Classic at Philadelphia.

But for Sigel, of nearby Berwyn, Pa., the fireworks were nothing new at Chester Valley Golf Club.

“I can remember playing here as an amateur before it was redesigned and there were these power lines over some of the holes,” he said. “We used to hit them and the balls would explode and turn black. It was neat.”

Sigel, who birdied Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8 and 9 on the front, had a 5-under-par 135 after 36 holes. Schroeder followed Friday’s 68 with a 67 to keep pace.

Tom Wargo, a co-leader after 18 holes, was one stroke back. Bobby Stroble was at 137 and Dale Douglass was at 138.

Sigel’s best hole was the 371-yard, par-4 ninth. After blasting a 1-iron into the left rough, he hooked a 4-iron around a tree on his second shot. He then chipped in from 40 feet for the birdie.

“Just like I planned it,” he said.

The combined Britain-Ireland team retained the Curtis Cup, beating the United States by five points in the competition for women amateur golfers at Killarney, Ireland.

Alison Rose of Scotland, a 28-year-old bank employee playing in her first Curtis Cup, won all four of her matches in the two-day event.

Britain-Ireland beat the Americans 11-1/2-6-1/2.

The Americans now lead the series 20-6 with three ties, but they have won only one of the last six in a competition that dates back to 1932.

Jody Niemann of Rigby, Idaho, beat Amy Dahle of Red Lake Falls, Minn., 1 up, to advance to the semifinals of match play in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at Spencer T. Olin Golf Course in Alton, Ill.

Niemann, who beat medalist Elise Kimm in the second round, will face close friend Heather Graff of Kennewick in today’s semifinal match.