ROANOKE, W.Va. — Defending champion David Bradshaw was joined atop the leaderboard by Christian Brand following Thursday’s second round of the 89th West Virginia Open at Stonewall Resort.

Only three players finished in the red after the first two rounds as the top 60 and ties advanced to today’s final 18 holes.

Bradshaw, who is from Harpers Ferry and seeking his 13th career title, once again matched Brand with a 69 for a second consecutive day to sit at 6-under. Bradshaw carded six birdies with one bogey and a double bogey on the par-4 fifth. Brand, a Marshall graduate and a two-time W.Va. Open champ, posted his second 69 with the help of a quartet of birdies against one bogey.

Brand is trying to win once again as an amateur. He and the pro Bradshaw lead West Liberty head golf coach and pro Thadd Obecny by three strokes.

Buckhannon’s Christian McKisic, Hurricane’s Sam O’Dell and day one leader Mason Kidwell of Charles Town are at even par and tied for fourth. Kidwell, who shot a 67 on Wednesday, opened with bogeys on two of his first three holes en route to a 77.

Parkersburg South graduate Kenny Hess is currently in a tie for 16th with Wheeling’s Bryan Myers at 4-over. More importantly, the only other pro ahead of him aside from Bradshaw and Obecny is Morgantown’s Cory Dillinger, who is 2-over.

“Yesterday was just rough. My first round back,” Hess said of his 76 that he followed up with an even par round of 72. “Today, slowly getting more rhythm when I was playing golf.

“It’s not good. It’s getting better. After having a week off of being sick we are trending in the right direction. I thought the course played a little harder today.”

The top dozen professionals earn cash prizes with the top five set to collect $8,000, $5,000, $3,500, $2,500 and $2,000, respectively.

“Worst case is stay where I’m at,” Hess said of being in fourth and in line for $2,500. “I don’t know this kid out of Morgantown. I’m trying to catch Dillinger.

“It would be great to catch him and go out and shoot a great round tomorrow and try to get up to even par.

“With the hole locations it played a little harder than yesterday. I felt I played better, especially my last nine of the day. I’m getting to a place where I can start swinging the golf club again and putting it in the hole. Find that rhythm that we found basically the last eight holes today.”

Gilmer County graduate Philip Reale made the cut and is tied for 32nd at 9-over. He followed an 80 on Wednesday with a 1-over par effort.

Pro Cole Moore, from Roane County, has carded rounds of 78 and 77 and is 11-over, which is good for a 40th place tie.

The only other two area golfers to make the cut were Parkersburg Country Club member Michael Koreski and West Liberty golfer Alex Easthom, both of whom are a stroke back of Moore at plus-12 and tied for 45th.

Easthom had the up-and-down round of the day after shooting another 78. He went par, bogey, bogey and then made eagle on the par-5 fourth. He closed with two birdies sandwiched around a bogey to finish the front at 2-under. After making birdie on the par-3, 10th, he played his final eight holes at plus-9, which included a snowman on No. 17.

“The greens are super slow,” admitted Easthom, who has younger brother Kelan Lucas on the bag. “I made two bad swings all day.”

The Ravenswood graduate said the par-5 fourth was playing probably 590 to 595 yards.

“I hit driver into the right rough and got a really good lie,” Easthom said of his eagle. “I hit 3-wood from 291 to about 14 feet. It (the putt) was flat and it was right edge to middle.”

Attempting to execute his new swing, Easthom said overall he was somewhat content.

“My golf swing is starting to come around,” he said. “It sucks to get to 3-under and start working yourself back to the leaderboard and lose it like that, but at least the golf swing was there and hopefully tomorrow is a pretty good day.”

Failing to make the cut for the final round were Vienna’s Chuck Henderson (80-86=166, +22), Glenville’s Travis Woodford (86-81=167, +23), Parkersburg’s Matthew Hess (82-85=167, +23) and Ben Palmer (85-84=169, +25) along with Roane County’s Garrett Simon (93-87=180, +36) and Belpre’s Lydel Norman (92-99=191, +47).