LUMBERTON — With the 2016 Robeson County Golf Championship super senior division champion not playing in this year’s tournament, there will be a new champion and one player has set themselves up to take the vacant title.
Knocky Thorndyke, a regular participant of the Pinecrest Senior Shootout and longtime baseball coach in Robeson County, is six shots clear of the pack after posting the only under-par round in the division in Friday’s first round at Pinecrest Country Club.
Behind an under-par back nine — one of two players in the field to do that on any nine holes in the first round — Thorndyke opened the tournament with a 2-under 70. After making the turn, Thorndyke shot 3 under with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 and then another birdie on the short par-4 17th. He posted that after going 1 over on the front nine with a lone bogey on No. 4.
Thorndyke finished third in the super senior division last year, five strokes behind winner Bob McQueen. After round one last year Thorndyke was four off the lead with a 74 before posting a final-round 75.
The group chasing Thorndyke includes a pair of players, Larry McNeill and Michael Monroe, who carded a 76 in the opening round.
McNeill tied the low front nine of the day with Thorndyke and Willie Jacob at 1-over 37. Then on the back, McNeill had an up-and-down inward nine. After a birdie on the par 3 12th hole, McNeill triple bogeyed No. 13 and dropped another shot on No. 15. A birdie on No. 16 gained the stroke back as he shot a 39 on the back nine.
A back nine rebound helped Monroe sit in a tie for second as he shot 1 over after going 3 over on the front. His lone birdie on the round came on No. 15.
The other under par nine hole posted came from Mel Britt in Friday’s final super senior group after a birdie on No. 10 he reeled off eight pars.
Willie Jacobs is in fourth with a 5 over 77. Three players are in a tie for fifth place at 78.
