Egg Harbor Township (June 28th)---An experienced veteran, poised
newcomer and the Tour’s hottest player have risen to the top of the
leaderboard after two rounds of the Cleveland Golf Tour’s Atlantic City
Hilton Classic at Twisted Dune Golf Club. Noah Zelnik, a former PGA
Tour caddy who has played on more than 15 professional golf tours, sits
at 8-under after firing a course record setting 6-under 66 and holds a
one stroke lead heading into Wednesday’s final round.

Brian Lamberti, Zelnik’s rival while they both were assistant
professionals at the Nevele Grande (NY), broke the previous course of
68 with a 5-under 67 that included a hole-in-one on the 8th hole.
Lamberti shares second with Oppenheim, who prevailed in the first event
of the season and is in position for his third victory in five events
after fashioning his own 67.

Zelnik, who resumed his first round on the 11th hole at 6:30 Tuesday
morning, has tallied 10 birdies in his last 26 holes and holds a second
round lead on Tour for the first time since his last victory in 2003.
“I’ve got a pretty good ratio (of birdies to holes played) going,” said
Zelnik, who added a new Cleveland driver, 3-wood and Never Compromise putter to his arsenal this
week.

Each of Twisted Dune’s four par 5s rank among the six easiest holes, and
the confident-swinging Zelnik birdied them all during round two. "I
believe in my swing. When you're driving it well and putting it well,
that's a recipe for success. And I'm wedging it well. So I've got the
trifecta going."

Lamberti, whose best finish in four Tour events is a 3rd place showing,
has struck the ball as crisply as Zelnik, but a balky putter leaves him
chasing the lead instead of guarding it. He hit 15 greens in regulation
in round two, but three-putted twice and missed three putts within
six-feet. No putter was needed on the 164-yard 8th hole, though, where
Lamberti sunk a seven-iron for his 13th career ace.

"It never left the flag, said Lamberti. “It jumped in the air and just
sat right on the lip for 10 seconds. Then I turned around, and (playing
companion) Jesse Fitzgerald said, 'It's in!'

Oppenheim’s 36-hole total includes just three bogeys, the fewest among
the final three. That same spotless play has also been evident in the
last six events, where he has earned $33,567 on Tour, more than any
other player.

Forty-two players from a field of 100 survived Tuesday’s 36-hole cut,
which fell at 4-over 148. Up for stake in Wednesday’s final round: A
winner’s check of $13,000 from a total purse of $86,400.