Tom Brandes of Bellevue, Wash. entered the final round 1-stroke behind Jim McNelis of Gig Harbor, Wash. and used a final round of 1-under par 71 to force a playoff. Brandes carded rounds of 72 and 70 earlier in the week to finish the Championship at 3-under par 213.
McNelis opened with rounds of 71 and 70 and closed with an even par 72 today to also tie at 3-under par 213 which included a clutch 5-foot putt for par on the finishing hole. In the playoff both players birdied the 469-yard 1st hole and then made par on the par-4 2nd, 3rd and 4th holes before Brandes sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the 373-yard 5th hole to seal the victory.
Both Brandes and McNelis were playing in their first Washington State Senior Amateur Championship as they both just turned 55 this year. Brandes caps off a great year in which he has already won the Washington Senior Open and qualified for match play at the USGA Senior Amateur. McNelis also had a great year and played in both the USGA Senior Open and USGA Mid-Amateur Championships this summer.
Finishing in third place at 1-under par 215 was defending champion Keith Crimp of Ellensburg, Wash. who followed up his rounds of 70 and 73 with an even par round of 72 today which included two late birdies on holes 16 and 18.
Other past champions in the Senior Championship field include 2009 Champion, Larry Daniels of Seattle, Wash. (223), 2008 Champion, Kent Brown of Colville, Wash. (221), 2004 Champion, Fred Urquhart of Bellingham, Wash. (221) and 1998 Champion, Rick Weihe of Bellingham, Wash. (223).
In the 4th Annual Super Senior Men’s Amateur Championship, Ron Petersen of Coquitlam, BC began the day with a 5-stroke lead and cruised to a 9-stroke victory after another very solid round of 1-over par 73. Petersen’s rounds of 70-78-73 gave him a total of 5-over par 221. In today’s round Petersen made bogeys at holes 2, 6, 9 and 18 but offset them with birdies on holes 8, 11, and 15 effectively holding back the field from a late charge.
Ted King of Bellingham, Wash. finished runner-up after rounds of 77-76-77 for a 54-hole total of 14-over par 230. King, who was the 2010 Pacific Northwest Super Senior Amateur Champion opened with a birdie in today’s round but just wasn’t able to keep the pressure on Petersen the rest of the round.
Charlie Wozow of Woodinville, Wash. finished in 3rd place with rounds of 80-77-74 for a total of 15-over par 231 while 2009 and 2010 Champion Bruce Richards of Seattle, Wash. finished 4th after posting scores of 80-79-73 for 16-over par 232.
The 25th Annual Washington State Senior Men’s and 4th Annual Super Senior Men’s Amateur Championships conducted by the Washington State Golf Association (WSGA) completed today at Bellingham Golf and Country Club in Bellingham, Wash. The 54-hole stroke play competitions consisted of 60 competitors in the Senior Amateur Championship and 33 in the Super Senior Amateur Championship.
Amateur golfers who have reached their 55th birthday by September 27, 2011 and who have a USGA Handicap Index of 12.4 strokes or less at a WSGA member club are eligible to play in the Washington State Senior Men’s Amateur Championship. To be eligible for the Super Senior Men’s Amateur Championship golfers must meet the same handicap requirements and have reached their 65th birthday by September 27, 2011. All contestants will play 54 holes of stroke play (gross scores only).