Brian Bergstol, Isaiah Logue tied for lead after two rounds of Pennsylvania Open

Brian Bergstol offered a candidly entertaining explanation of his second round Tuesday in the 103rd Pennsylvania Open, peppering his commentary with phrases such as “another par-5 I played terrible” and “more stupidity ensued.”

Still, Bergstol, an assistant pro at Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort in the Poconos, could walk away from Waynesborough Country Club with a wry smile because his second straight 2-under-par 69 left him in a tie for the lead with Isaiah Logue going into Wednesday’s final round.

Logue, who is from Fairfield, near Gettysburg, carded a 68 to join Bergstol at 4-under 138, good for a one-stroke lead over first-round leader Cole Willcox of Malvern and Craig Hornberger of Lancaster. Willcox carded a 72 Tuesday and Hornberger shot a 70.

Huntingdon Valley’s Brian Isztwan, who is entering his sophomore year at Harvard, was alone in fourth place at 140 after a 71, and is low amateur after 36 holes.

Waynesborough played at 6,952 yards and was softened by periods of rain in the morning and the afternoon. The rough was difficult and problems were presented for any player on the wrong side of the greens.

Bergstol, a Philadelphia Section PGA member, notched five birdies against three bogeys but wasn’t happy with playing the three par-5s at the Paoli layout at even par. He said he was hitting the ball well, but …

“I’m not always thinking great and then I get frustrated,” he said. “I’m giving myself a lot of opportunities and every once in a while I’m just gassing birdie putts just because I’m tired of making pars, which is stupid because bogeys are way worse. It’s a simple game.”

Three back-nine birdies, however, put him in great position for the final 18.

“It’s a good position and I’m comfortable here,” Bergstol said. “It’s unusual for me to play six par-5s [over two days] in even par so to just get a couple of those, that would be great. I’m much more comfortable when I know the tournament’s out in front of me, so that’s better” Wednesday.

Logue, the 2015 Pennsylvania Amateur champion, took a nine-month break from the game last year because “mentally I was in a position where I wasn’t wanting to play the game.” Since coming back in January, he has been successful on mini-tours in the South.

Logue, who started on the back nine, was even par through 14 holes before closing with birdies at the sixth, seventh and ninth.

“I was definitely a little frustrated” after a bogey at No. 5, he said. “I hit a quality iron shot and wasn’t rewarded for it. But knowing I was coming into a fairly easy stretch, 7, 8 and 9, I just needed to stay calm and collected and tried to squeeze out a few birdies, which I was able to do.”

Willcox, a pro for 3 ½ years who has applied for amateur reinstatement, meaning he cannot win prize money or gift certificates for his Open performance, was 2 over for his round after 15 holes but birdied his 16th and 17th, Nos. 7 and 8 at Waynesborough.