By Jacob Heid

Sports Editor

STEVENS POINT Almost through a round and a half at the U.S. Senior Open at SentryWolrd, a couple of holes on the course are giving some of the best senior players in the world some trouble.

Still playing as one of the toughest halfway through the day on Friday, hole No. 9, which the USGA converted to a par-4 for the tournament, ranks as the hardest hole through roughly a round and a half. 

It has only 13 birdies in total and has over 70 bogeys and over 30 doubles.

The converted par-5 got changed to a par-4 for the championship, playing nearly a stroke over par still into Friday. 

It starts with the tee shot, which is tough for the players.

“I hit a great tee shot, which I thought was fine. It took — I guess you could see the bounce there. That’s right where our landing zone is; it’s kind of crowned,” Rod Pampling said after his first round 68 to lead after round one.

Hole No. 6 ranks as the second-hardest hole overall and continues to be a hard birdie opportunity in the second round. 

It is the most difficult hole on the course for players and plays at 475 yards from tee to green.

Only surrendering one birdie so far on Friday, it totals only six through a round and a half. There have been nearly 90 pars and just under 100 bogies. 

Another hole that played difficult in the first round is the par-4 18th, which remains one of the five most difficult holes on the course.

Playing at an average of nearly half a shot over par, five players have made a three in the morning wave, while over 20 have made a five. 

These are just a few holes that can make or break a round as we head into the second round’s afternoon wave and through the weekend.