U.S. Senior Amateur 1 U.S
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
U.S. Senior Amateur 1 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship 66th Record Book 2021 2 U.S. Senior Amateur Bob Royak Wins the 2019 Championship No birdies, no problem. USGA champion,” said Royak. “You think about it [the night before] and even this morning before you tee off what it means, Bob Royak, 57, of Alpharetta, Ga., knows the Frederick L. and when it finally happens, it’s like, ‘Whoo,’ relief.” Dold Trophy won’t have his scorecard engraved from the 18-hole championship match of the 65th U.S. Senior Amateur Newsom, who had recorded just 14 bogeys in 121 holes of golf Championship at Old Chatham Golf Club. But his name will be prior to the championship match, registered five – with two on the silver cup after a hard-fought, 1-up victory over Roger birdies – on Thursday. He just couldn’t overcome the mistakes Newsom, 55, of Virginia Beach, Va. after making so few en route to the final. Royak, making his fourth start in the championship and 16th “It was a good match,” said Newsom, who became eligible USGA championship overall, is the second player in the last for this championship in March when he turned 55. “Back and three U.S. Senior Amateur finals to claim the title without a forth, back and forth; I kind of gave too many [holes away] birdie in the championship match. Sean Knapp had a similar today. I gave more than what I had given away the first [five] outcome two years ago at The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis, matches.” Minn., when he denied Paul Simson a third title, 2 and 1. Newsom bogeyed the par-5 opening hole to go 1 down, but Royak also becomes the third player from Georgia to win the managed to make seven consecutive pars before converting Senior Amateur, joining Bill Ploeger (1999), of Columbus, and consecutive birdies on Nos. 9 and 10. Two holes later, he failed his U.S. Amateur Four-Ball partner, Doug Hanzel (2013), of to get up and down for par – he lipped out an 8-foot par putt Savannah. – while Royak played a perfect pitch with a 9-iron to 3 feet for a winning par to tie the match. A poor drive by Newsom led to “To be a USGA champion, to think that your name is going up another bogey on No. 13, and when Royak converted a 6-foot on the wall [in the Hall of Champions] in Far Hills, [N.J., at the comebacker for par, he went 1 up. USGA Museum] with the other champions for 2019, that’s kind of beyond belief,” said Royak. “I don’t know when they put [the The match remained that way until the 17th hole. Royak three- plaque] up, but I’ll go up there sometime next year, maybe I am putted for bogey, missing a 5-footer, to lose the hole, setting in New York and get over there and see it.” the scene for No. 18. The match came down to the 18th hole, which statistically was “All week actually,” said Royak, who advanced by making few the toughest during the stroke-play portion of the competition mistakes (only 16 bogeys, including two in the final) rather last weekend (4.67 average). Neither player found the green in than a lot of birdies. “I’d love to count up the number of bird- regulation despite hitting the fairway on the 470-yard downhill ies I made. How many holes did I play? I have no idea (it was par-4. After Royak’s 226-yard approach with a 19-degree hybrid 134). I probably made less than 10 birdies (actually 13), which is was slightly pulled just left of the green, Newsom followed with unusual. I usually get on a roll and can make a lot of birdies.” what he called one of his worst swings of the week. He caught a 5-iron from 195 yards a bit heavy and the ball nestled down in This week, par was good enough. the bermudagrass rough short and left of the green. NOTABLE All day Newsom had been spot-on with recovery shots – he Runner-up Roger Newsom received a silver medal and nearly holed chips on Nos. 5 and 7 – but this time the ball came an exemption into the next three U.S. Senior Amateur up 34 feet short. Royak followed with an exquisite chip and run Championships. He also earns a spot in the 2020 U.S. Senior with his 50-degree wedge to 5 feet. Open, the 2020 U.S. Amateur and the 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur. “I had two choices,” said Royak of his mindset. “My initial Next year’s U.S. Senior Amateur will be conducted at the thought was I was going to take my sand wedge and I was going Country Club of Detroit in Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., from to fly it to the ridge. So, I had maybe 20 feet to the top of the Aug. 29-Sept. 3. It was the host site for the 1915 and 1954 U.S. ridge and then it leveled off. I either had to go way high and just Amateurs, the latter of which was won by Arnold Palmer. stop it around the hole or go low and run it up the hill. I figured if I went low, I could get it within six feet.” Jack Royak, Bob’s older brother who served as his caddie all week, played college golf at Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y., When Newsom missed, Royak took some time looking over the but three back surgeries have prevented him from competing line before holing his par putt. Seconds after the ball disap- anymore. Paul Royak, who lives in Tampa, Fla., flew home ear- peared to the pleasure of 100 or so spectators, Royak dropped lier in the week after failing to qualify for match play here. The his putter and waved both hands in the air. Then he bent down two brothers competed in the same USGA championship for and collected his thoughts for a few seconds, trying to grasp the first time since the 2004 U.S. Mid-Amateur. Both played at the accomplishment. the University of Tampa. “Relief. Done. Yeah, it’s hard to describe [what it is] to be a U.S. Senior Amateur 3 65th U.S. Senior Amateur Championship Qual. Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinal Round Semifinal Round Score Monday, Aug. 26 Tuesday, Aug. 27 Tuesday, Aug. 27 Wednesday, Aug. 28 Wednesday, Aug. 28 (142) Michael McCoy, Norwalk, Iowa McCoy (152) Walker Taylor, Wilmington, N.C. 1 up McCoy Par: 36-36—72 (149) Peter Detemple, Canada 3 and 1 Detemple Yardage: 7,134 (149) Edward Armagost, Jupiter, Fla. 22 holes Entries: 2,466 Newsom (146) Brian Kennedy, Highland Beach, Fla. 4 and 3 Slagle (150) Jerry Slagle, Southlake, Texas 20 holes Newsom (146) Roger Newsom, Virginia Beach, Va. 2 and 1 Newsom (150) David Nelson, Reno, Nev. 3 and 2 Newsom (144) Gene Elliott, West Des Moines, Iowa 19 holes Jett (151) Paul Jett, Southern Pines, N.C. 2 and 1 Jett (147) Terry Tyson, Perrysburg, Ohio 4 and 3 Tyson (150) Tom Whaley, Edina, Minn. 2 and 1 Jett (145) William Hodges, Rosemary Beach, Fla. 1 up Norton (150) Bryan Norton, Mission Hills, Kan. 3 and 2 Norton (147) Pete Williams, Juno Beach, Fla. 1 up Williams (150) Jeff Benton, Litchfield Park, Ariz. 4 and 3 Newsom (143) Gregory Condon, Monte Vista, Colo. 1 up Knecht (151) Mark Knecht, Paducah, Ky. 19 holes Knecht (148) Randy Haag, Orinda, Calif. 2 and 1 Kearney (150) Bob Kearney, Houston, Texas 5 and 4 Cloninger (146) Rick Cloninger, McDonough, Ga. 5 and 3 Cloninger (150) Jack Hall, Savannah, Ga. 4 and 2 Cloninger (147) David Hancock, Greenville, Ala. 4 and 3 Peddicord (150) Chris Peddicord, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 2 and 1 Cloninger (143) Chip Lutz, Reading, Pa. 2 and 1 Harris (151) Titus Harris, Houston, Texas 2 up Frost (148) Kory Frost, Trabuco Canyon, Calif. 1 up Frost (150) Steve Maddalena, Jackson, Mich. 2 up FINAL Harwell Thursday, Aug. 29 (146) Paul Simson, Raleigh, N.C. 3 and 2 Bob Royak Simson (150) Matt Sughrue, Arlington, Va. 2 and 1 def. Harwell Roger Newsom, (147) Lionel Sutton, La Grange, N.C. 20 holes 1 up Harwell (150) Steve Harwell, Mooresville, N.C. 3 and 2 4 U.S. Senior Amateur Aug. 24-29, 2019, Old Chatham Golf Club, Durham, N.C. Semifinal Round Quarterfinal Round Round of 16 Round of 32 Round of 64 Qual. Wednesday, Aug. 28 Wednesday, Aug. 28 Tuesday, Aug. 27 Tuesday, Aug. 27 Monday, Aug. 26 Score Dean Channell, Cary, N.C. (142) Channell 2 and 1 Edward Parnell, Altamonte Springs, Fla. (152) Royak 1 up Bob Royak, Alpharetta, Ga. (149) Royak 8 and 7 Kenneth Coutant, Dallas, Texas (149) Royak 2 and 1 William Mitchell, Rosewell, Ga. (146) Mitchell 2 and 1 Kevin King, Bluffton, S.C. (150) Mitchell 3 and 1 Keith Decker, Martinsville, Va. (146) Decker 3 and 2 Bradley Karns, Vancouver, Wash. (150) Royak 6 and 5 Frank Vana, Boxford, Mass. (144) Vana 3 and 2 Craig Davis, Chula Vista, Calif. (151) Todd 2 and 1 Walter Todd, Laurens, S.C. (148) Todd 1 up Don Whittemore, Temple Terrace, Fla. (150) Todd 3 and 1 Chris Fieger, Denver, Pa. (145) Minovich 21 holes Victor Minovich, Thornton, Colo. (150) Minovich 3 and 1 Mitch Wilson, Kalamazoo, Mich. (147) Morgan 20 holes Mark Morgan, Shingle Springs, Calif.