Merion assistant Robby Bruns climbing up leaderboard in PGA event

ROBBY BRUNS, in his second summer working as a seasonal assistant at Merion, barely survived the 36-hole cut in the PGA Professional National Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club. That's what happens when you close out the second round with bogeys on five of the final seven holes, which he did Monday at Militia Hill, the other course used the first two days.

But yesterday on the Wissahickon layout, the 25-year-old Iowa native shot a 2-under-par 68, despite dropping a stroke on the 18th. That left him at 3-over 215, in an 10-way tie for 21st (one shot out of the nine-way tie for 12th), which meant he moved up 56 spots. Of the five locals still left (out of 13 at the start), he's low man. The top 20 finishers will go to the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in six weeks.

"Of course, that's what everyone's thinking about," said Bruns, who spends his winters at The Everglades Club in Palm Beach, Fla. "I just have to stick to the game plan, and hope the weather stays out of the way."

Bruns missed the cut in 2014 in his PNC debut at Myrtle Beach, S.C., where he never broke 78.

"I learned a lot last year," he said. "I practiced a lot to get to this point. I know what I'm capable of. We'll see. It would be a big change . . . I've got a chance."

Bruns had a 73 at Wissahickon on Sunday, and followed with a 74 right up the road. Only one player had a better third-round score: Sean Dougherty (Overland Park, Kan.), whose 67 took him from 77th to 12th.

Bruns was done by 1 p.m. At 3:36, a storm rolled through that stopped play for a little over an hour and a half.

"I [finally] got the putter rolling," said Bruns, who birdied No. 16 from 5 feet and the 17th from 12. "That was the big thing. I've been fighting the putter the last few days. It was nice to see [the ball] go in the hole.

"They say this is moving day. I'm just happy I'm out here. I've got a lot of support from Merion members. That's nice. I actually teach some of them."

Hardly shocking, the guy carrying his bag is Tim Becker, an assistant caddie master at the club.

"I'm almost kind of relieved [to be in this position]," acknowledged Bruns, who's finished second in two section events this year, when asked whether he felt any added pressure. "I've spoken to [Merion head pro Scott Nye] every night on the phone. He's been awesome. He snuck out here [Monday] a little bit. After Day 1, he just said, 'Look, you've got to play like this for 54 more.' That was big for me. There aren't too many people with much experience in these events. So I just kind of focused on the 54-hole stuff.

"I had a good friend yesterday who told me to 'tie one together.' It gave me a lot of confidence. And I was fortunate enough to do that on the back nine again."

His father Bob is the associate director of the PGA Pro Golf Management Program at Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C., where Bruns matriculated. That's a long way from Ardmore.

"I love it," smiled Bruns, talking about his gig at Merion.

Mark Sheftic, the teaching pro there, didn't make it past Monday. And he's made it to the PGA three times in the previous six years. But maybe Bruns can find a way to keep that wicker-basket thing going.

Russell Harbold, an assistant at Lancaster Country Club (which hosts the U.S. Women's Open next week), shot 73 and is at 6-over, tied for 43th. He opened with a bird, but didn't card another, 24 hours after a 67 allowed him to pass 147 people.

Northeastern Pennsylvania's John Pillar, president of the Philly section, is also at 218 after a 74. He took a triple-bogey on the short par-3 third, which he four-putted after missing the green long.

Gulph Mills assistant Josh Rackley is at 7-over, one ahead of Delaware's John Lynch. Both shot 74.

In the quest for the trophy, 24-year-old Ben Polland (Manhasset, N.Y.) is tied for the lead with Grant Sturgeon, an assistant at Winged Foot, at 4-under. Polland was up by four on the first tee, but shot a 73. Nobody younger than 28 has ever won this. Sturgeon had a 69.

Matt Dobyns (Lake Success, N.Y.), the 2012 winner, is one back. First-timer Joe Leonard (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) is at 2-under following a 70. Brent Snyder (Hudson, Wis.) also had a 70 and is at 1-under.

The top eight will be on the 12-man American PGA Cup team that will take on Great Britain and Ireland in California in September.

Delaware County's Ed Dougherty, who 30 years ago became the only Philly guy to win this title, was on site and even made an appearance on Golf Channel during the weather delay. Few have more stories to tell, or can tell them any better . . . Defending champ Michael Block (Mission Viejo, Calif.) shot 75 to miss the 54-hole cut at 9-over . . . Playing in his 26th PNC (he withdrew before the start in 1990), longtime Oakmont head pro and Conestoga High's Bob Ford, 61, had a 75 to just miss sticking around for the fourth round, the seventh time he hasn't gone the full 72.