Senior – Page 4 – Syndication Server

Mike Combs wins playoff in come-from-behind victory at 2023 Golfweek Senior National Championship

Surviving the gauntlet that became the East Course were two men who lurked just off stage all week.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=none image=]The stage was set for an incredible finish at the Golfweek Senior National Championship at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Golfweek No. 1 Vance Welch, Carolinas Golf Association Hall of Famer, Paul Simson and Ironman athlete Walker Taylor were all favored to take home the championship heading into Wednesday’s final round. With hundreds of wins and championship pedigree between the three men, it seemed like it was a lock for the winner to emerge from the final group.

Not so fast.

The winds were howling throughout the final round, making the East Course at Grandover Resort play even trickier than expected. With driver taken out of the hand on many holes throughout the week, the options off the tee ramped up with the winds.

Early in the round, it looked as though Simson was going to coast to yet another victory. Two under on the front nine, Simson opened up a six-shot advantage over Welch and a four-shot swing over Taylor.

The final round proved to be an onslaught for the favorites as Simson erased his front nine work to finish with a final round 75, good for a T3 finish at 2 over. Taylor matched Simson’s tournament total (+2), unable to keep bogeys off of his card for a 77.

For Welch, his front nine, 43, became insurmountable as he posted a birdie-free 81 to slide from the 36-hole lead to a ninth-place finish (+6).

Surviving the gauntlet that became the East Course were two men who lurked just off stage all week.

Sherrill Britt was consistent all week, hanging inside the top five, and teed off in the penultimate group in the final round just two shots off of the leaders. Mike Combs began the day five back but knew he had a chance thanks to the windy conditions.

“It had to be gusting to 30 miles an hour,” Combs told Golfweek.

It was so windy that Combs’ ball rolled away from the hole on No. 9 when he was busy fixing his pitch mark.

“It rolled five feet further from the hole because the wind was blowing that hard. It was pretty funny.”

Saving par despite Mother Nature trying her best to thwart it, Combs really gained momentum with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 10 and 11.

The boost proved to be huge as he took the clubhouse lead at 1 over for the tournament after carding a 1 under 71.

All Combs could do was wait as the final two groups made their way in. Throughout the nervous 20 or so minutes, Combs couldn’t help but think of the shots he left out on the course as he was sure Britt was going to birdie the par 5 18th.

“ I just assumed all of those guys were going to birdie (18) and leapfrog me,” he said. “I was sweating it out.”

With Britt making par on the last, the duo made their way to No. 10 for a sudden-death playoff.

Combs held the tee first and decided to apply the pressure. Nailing a driver down the fairway of the par 4, he left himself a sand wedge into the green.

Britt stuck to his game plan despite Combs finding the fairway. Pulling a 3 wood into the left rough, Britt hit a great wedge to the front of the green but had about 25 feet remaining for birdie.

With the door open, Combs slammed it shut, sticking his wedge to three feet.

With Britt in for par, Combs stood over his putt to win. Then, he backed off.

“I still felt the nerves a little bit,” Combs told Golfweek. “So much so that I backed off the putt once. I regrouped and said ‘Darn it, let’s go’ and confidently stroke this into the back [of the hole].”

Finding the bottom of the cup, Combs pulled off the unlikely. Often the bridesmaid but never the bride at Golfweek championships, the Georgia native and Home Depot executive secured his first Golfweek win with the birdie.

The win catapults him from No. 15 in the Golfweek Senior Amateur Rankings to inside the top 5.

Super Seniors (65-69)

Combs wasn’t the only playoff victor on Wednesday. South Carolina’s Bob Edens (+4) came out on top after a four-hole playoff battle against Randy King.

Legends (70-74)

Charley Yandell completed his wire-to-wire win with a final round 75. Posting a tournament total of 4 over, 220, Yandell cruised to a five-shot victory over Allen Pete (+9).

Super Legends (75+)

Like Yandell, Frank Costanzo went wire-to-wire in his win in the Super Legends division. Back-to-back sub-age rounds of 73 set Costanzo up with a five-shot cushion. His final round 78 was plenty good to hold onto a four-stroke victory and a tournament total of 8 over 224.

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Top-ranked Vance Welch, Walker Taylor share lead at 2023 Golfweek Senior National Championship

Talking to his daughter before the round, Vance Welch found out he is going to be a grandfather again.

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Vance Welch’s day was already made before he even hit a practice shot before his second round at the 2023 Golfweek Senior National Championship at the Grandover Resort (East Course) in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Talking to his daughter before the round, Welch found out he is going to be a grandfather again, this time for a baby girl due in October.

“That just put me in a happy place,” he said. “It didn’t matter if I hit a bad shot today. What an awesome day today was when I found out I was going to have another grandchild.”

With a smile on his face, Welch may have been the happiest man to ever be over par for a round. One over through eight holes and seven back of the lead, his golf turned around when he holed out for an eagle on the par-5 18th.

Not looking back, the top-ranked player in Golfweek’s Senior Amateur Rankings closed out his second round with a bogey-free back nine 33, good for a 68 and share of the lead alongside 18-hole leader Walker Taylor (3 under).

With two wins under his belt on the season, Welch acknowledges he’ll have a target on his back during Wednesday’s final round. No matter what happens in Wednesday’s final round, Welch is excited for a post-round celebration.

“My girls live in Raleigh, about an hour away [from Greensboro]…as soon as I get finished tomorrow I’m going to go hug my daughter and rub her belly and hold my girls. Both of my daughters live in Raleigh so I’m looking forward to spending time with them tomorrow night.”

Paired with Welch in the final group are co-leader Walker Taylor and Carolinas Golf Association Hall of Fame member Paul Simson.

Taylor pulled out to a seven-shot lead halfway through the second round after a 3-under front nine. Coming back to the clubhouse at 4 over, Taylor slipped from solo command of the lead and now finds himself in the middle of a dogfight. Tied with Welch and holding a one-shot advantage over Simson, Taylor looks to settle unfinished business after letting the 2022 Golfweek Senior National Championship slip away from him last year.

Simson was back in typical form following a tough first round of 4 over.

“I was pretty disappointed with my round yesterday,” Simson said. “I played a lot better than that 76 and today quite honestly, I played about the same. But I made a few putts and I holed a sand wedge on the 13th hole for my second eagle of the week.”

Out in 4 under, Simson was able to post another red number on his way back in to card a 5-under 67, right in the thick of things at 1 under and two back of the leaders.

North Carolina’s Sherrill Brent is also in the mix at 1 under. Improving upon his even-round start, Brent will lead the way for the penultimate group and look to apply pressure ahead of the final group. His playing partners Rick Cloninger and Michael Arasin both vie for the championship at even par total.

Super Seniors (65-69)

Randy King and Bob Edens look to duke it out in the Super Senior age division. Both at 2 over par and improving upon their first-round scores, the pair have a three-shot lead on the rest of the field.

Legends (70-74)

First-round leader Charley Yandell commands the leaderboard through 36 holes. With one of just four sub-par rounds in Tuesday’s action, Yandell carded a 2-over 74 but still enjoys a five-shot cushion as he looks to go wire-to-wire.

Super Legends (75+)

Sharing the lead after day one alongside Bill Engel, Frank Costanzo’s steady play through the second round has earned him a five-shot advantage with 18 holes to play. Carding consecutive rounds of 73, Costanzo searches for the win on Wednesday.

Walker Taylor leads stacked field at 2023 Golfweek Senior National Championship

Walker Taylor, 61, leads the 2023 Golfweek Senior National Championship.

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Walker Taylor, 61, leads the 2023 Golfweek Senior National Championship after Monday’s first round at Grandover Resort (The East Course) in Greensboro, North Carolina. The scene is a dose of deja vu for the North Carolina native who led the tournament after one round last year.

Pacing the field with an opening 68, the former touring professional and three-time Ironman competitor out of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, had himself quite the back nine.

One under through 10, Taylor found the hazard on the par-4 11th. After a three-putt double bogey, Taylor was a bit irritated with himself as he walked to the 12th tee.

“I was actually standing on that tee and I was kind of mad at myself but I was calm,” he said. “I was like ‘Man, maybe if you ace you get back to under par.’”

Stepping into his tee shot on the 117-yard par 3, Taylor didn’t feel comfortable and backed off to reset and find the right mind space before hitting his next shot.

Flushing his wedge, Taylor one-hopped his ball right into the hole for an ace, immediately erasing the damage done on the previous hole.

The ace is Taylor’s ninth of his career but first in competition play.

With the good fortune, Taylor resumed his near-automatic play as he looked to finish strong. Birdies on Nos. 13, 14, 17 and 18 resulted in Taylor playing his final seven holes at 5 under par and granted him a first-round 68.

Currently an insurance broker, Taylor has plenty of experience playing on big stages. After finishing college at Clemson, Taylor made it to the final stage of European Tour Q-School and even made a PGA Tour start before hanging up his professional golf dream.

Since regaining his amateur status in 1989, Taylor has teed it up in five U.S. Mid-Ams, four British Amateurs, two U.S. Amateurs and most recently has advanced to match play in both of his U.S. Senior Amateur appearances. He’ll be making a trip across the pond later this summer to play in his third British Senior Amateur.

With 29 putts and 15 of 18 greens hit on the day, Taylor looks to build upon his hot start with one mantra borrowed from his good friend and Walker Cup Captain, Mike McCoy: “Keep moseyin’ on.”

He’ll have plenty of competition with one of the best fields of the year lurking behind him.

Georgia’s Mike Combs, ranked No. 15 in Golfweek’s Senior Amateur Rankings, posted a 1-under 71 and is tied for second alongside Alabama’s Michael Arasin (No. 20). Another friend of Taylor’s, Sherrill Britt (No. 79), carded an even-par round to take sole possession of fourth place through 18 holes. Golfweek No. 1 Vance Welch looks to apply some pressure after an opening round 73, giving him a three-way share of fifth place alongside Golfweek’s No. 10 senior amateur Rick Cloninger.

Other notables: 2022 Golfweek Senior National Champion Kevin VandenBerg (+6, T18), Carolina amatuer golf legend Paul Simson (+4, T14)

Super Seniors (65-69)

Randy King holds a one-shot lead following a first-round 73. Bill Long (+2) and Bob Edens (+3) lead the rest of the pack of nine players within five strokes of the lead.

Legends (70-74)

Charley Yandell earned the top spot in the Legends age bracket with an opening 71. The score holds as one of just four rounds under par and the only sub-par round outside of the Senior division.

Super Legends (75+)

Bill Engel and Frank Costanzo share the lead at 1 over. John Blank (+3) looks to give chase ahead of a three-man group at 4 over.

Rex Enright comes from behind to win; Team New Mexico goes wire-to-wire at 38th U.S. Senior Challenge Cup

Enright was glad he had seven years of local knowledge in his back pocket.

Rex Enright began the final round trailing 36-hole leader Randy Haag by three strokes.

As a member of the Canyon Club, host of the 38th U.S. Senior Challenge Cup, Enright was glad he had seven years of local knowledge in his back pocket as he faced off against Haag in the final group.

“After looking Randy’s resume,” Enright told Golfweek. “I was like ‘Oh (expletive) this guy is pretty good… this could be a challenge!”

With more than 300 wins in his amateur career and three wins already in 2023, Haag was definitely a worthy opponent. Resting on his local knowledge, Enright took comfort in his ability to navigate the elevation and sloped greens that prove to be the primary challenge in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“I figured with his (Haag) resume, that I’d have to shoot 67,” Enright said.

Fortunately for Enright, Haag stumbled out of the gates with a bogey, bogey start. On the par 5 4th, Haag five-putted for a triple to sway the leaderboard in favor of Enright.

Down but not out, Haag battled for control of the top spot and earned back a share of the lead as the two men stood on the 17th tee after being down three strokes through 11 holes.

After catching multiple breaks in Wednesday’s second round, Haag’s luck seemed to have run out on the par-3 17th. Hitting his tee shot just a couple of paces too long, he found himself putting back down towards the hole from just off the green in the rough.

Four putting from off the green Haag left the door open for Enright to slam the tournament shut.

Putting the finishing touches on the championship with a two-putt par, Enright went on to par the 18th and claiming the Challenge Cup by two strokes with a tournament total of 2-over 218.

Defending his home course, Enright becomes the first U.S. Senior Challenge Cup individual champion from New Mexico.

Team Champion

Four more New Mexico natives made Challenge Cup history Thursday as Team New Mexico-Slayton was crowned champions. Riding the back of captain Jack Slayton all week, Kevin Sivage, Anton Salome and Bill Squier strolled through the week to win by 15 shots, boasting a three-day total of 6-over to complete a wire-to-wire win.

Legends (70-74)

Slayton not only ran away with the team portion, but also the Legends age division. Touting three straight rounds of 70, Slayton swept the 70-74 year old bracket by six shots and totaling the lowest 54-hole total of the tournament with a 6-under 210. His play nets him low man of the week honors as no other player finished under par regardless of age bracket.

Super Seniors (65-69)

Wyoming’s John Hornbeck was crowned champion in the 65-69 age group, running away with a seven shot victory with tournament total of 4-over 220. New Mexico’s Crispin Fuentes finished second at 11 over.

Super Legends (75+)

Arizona’s David Ralsey capped off the week with a final-round 77 to complete a wire-to-wire win in the 75+ age division.

Randy Haag, Team New Mexico lead 38th U.S. Senior Challenge Cup

The Canyon Club in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is hosting the 38th U.S. Senior Challenge Cup.

Through two rounds, the 38th U.S. Senior Challenge Cup has produced an enormous amount competitive golf. With the Canyon Club in Albuquerque, New Mexico, playing host, the competition, just like the desert temperatures, is heating up.

There may not be a single golfer having more fun this week than 36-hole leader, Randy Haag.

The 64-year-old from California commands a three-shot lead heading into Thursday’s final round. How is he doing it? A combination of a solid game plan, some skill and a pinch of luck.

Even par through his opening nine holes and 1 over for the tournament, Haag turned his game up to 11 when he made the turn. After bombing his drive on the par 4 1st (his 10th hole), Haag came up short with a wedge from 115 yards out. Attributing the shortcoming to the elevation, Haag stayed positive and trusted his sand game, hoping for a chance at a par save.

Catching it perfect, Haag’s bunker shot found the bottom of the hole for birdie.

After saving a handful of clutch pars and adding a couple of birdies to his card, Haag stood on the 9th tee 2 under on the day and looking to cruise into the clubhouse.

“I teed my ball high to launch it over the trees,” Haag told Golfweek. “I hit it hard, but I hit low. It hit the first tree.”

Finding trouble, Haag was unable to find his ball after the ricochet. Just as he was about to call the search off, the group behind Haag found his ball in the fairway of No. 8, saving him from taking a penalty to re-tee.

Thanks to the 80-yard kick left, Haag had a decision to make. With risk protruding everywhere he looked, Haag, decided to trust his go-to 5-wood.

“I said ‘screw it,’” Haag chuckled.

Hitting a high draw, Haag put himself back in play for par. The ninth green at Canyon Club is elevated and features a huge false front. With the pin tucked in the back portion of the green, Haag had a blind shot and was just trying to give himself a chance to get up and down or at worst, a bogey.

What happened next can only be described as pandemonium.

“I nipped it and I saw it kind of jump over the false front and it looked like about the right speed, the right weight, the right line and all of a sudden a marshall behind me is screaming ‘It went in the hole!’”

Just as the ball landed, Haag’s playing partner and good friend Dennis Martin stripped off his shirt, emptied his pockets and began dancing.

“You literally could hit a hundred balls and none of them would go in,” he said.

With the shot resulting in a Harry Higgs/Joel Dahmen moment, Haag closed out his second round at 3 under, giving himself a three-shot advantage heading into the final round.

With over 300 tournament victories throughout his amateur career including three wins and three runner-up finishes so far in 2023, Haag looks upon his recent losses to help him close out a win Thursday.

“I know how to win, but also I know the three tournaments I came second in – I became impatient,” he told Golfweek. “I’m looking at tomorrow a little bit differently. I’m going to play each hole the way I have been, try to hit the right spots and try to not make any big mistakes.”

Giving chase on Thursday is Albuquerque’s own Rex Enright. As one of two players who led the division after the first round with an even-par 72, Enright carded a round of 73 that featured five birdies.

Mark Elliot (Kansas), Dennis Martin (California) and Anton Solome (New Mexico) lurk six back of Haag at 4 over.

With a great final round, Solome has the chance to make it a clean sweep as he is a part of Team New Mexico-Slayton who leads the team portion of the U.S. Challenge Cup.

He, alongside Kevin Sivage, Bill Squier and team captain Jerry Slayton hold a 12-shot lead over the rest of the field.

Two aces were recorded in Wednesday’s second round. Michael Healey (No. 13) and Tim Tyner (No. 3) both carded 1s in the senior division.

Super Seniors (65-69)

John Hornbeck (Wyoming) leads the Super Senior division at 6 over. Crispin Fuentes (New Mexico, 9 over) and Ronald Kilby (Texas, 10 over) round out the final pairing.

Legends (70-74)

New Mexico’s Jack Slayton holds a three-shot lead (4 under) after back-to-back 70s. Arkansas’s Bev Hargraves looks to track him down after rounds of 73 and 70.

Super Legends (75+)

David Rasley of Arizona boasts a six-shot lead in the 75 and up age bracket.

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U.S. Senior Challenge making moves in hopes to become an elite senior amateur destination

“The vision we have is to get the four best seniors from as many states as possible.”

What started in 1986 as a team event to give seniors a chance to team up with their friends and go head-to-head is becoming one of the most elite fields on the senior amateur circuit. Now with Golfweek joining the Sun Country Amateur Golf Association in tournament operations, the Senior Challenge is primed to take the next step in becoming a show-stopping event in senior amateur golf.

Since its inception, the Senior Challenge has had two champions that have also won the U.S. Senior Amateur, the pinnacle of senior am golf. 1999 U.S. Senior am champion Bill Ploger won the individual title en route to helping Georgia take home the team title. In 2003, Mike Rice won at the Challenge Cup. In 2006, he would go on to win the U.S. Senior Am at The Farm in Georgia.

With USGA champions dotting their history and dozens more who have earned spots in state golf hall of fames, USGA championships and other poignant accolades, the Challenge Cup is looking to make their event a place where the best of the best from across the country duke it out for bragging rights. So what has kept the Senior Challenge from growing?

“Our biggest problem is that captains age,” Challenge Cup president Mike Quinlan told Golfweek. “It became harder and harder to get the same reach that Golfweek has in senior amateur golf.”

Now with Golfweek event staff assisting in tournament operations, the Senior Challenge looks to broaden their reach and welcome players and teams from parts of the country where they haven’t previously had a lot of players.

“The vision we have is to get the four best seniors from as many states as possible,” Quinlan said.

With the event moving from state to state every year, similar to the PGA Championship, the Senior Challenge should have no problem piquing the interests of senior players around the country.

This year’s edition will be hosted at The Canyon Club in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Both senior and super senior individual champions will be crowned as well as a team champion. When it comes to team titles, Texas holds the lead with seven wins, all of which have come after 1995. Georgia leads the rest of the pack with four while Florida can tie the Peach State if they can go back-to-back.

The 37th Senior Challenge is set for June 5-8 with 13 states represented and features a handful of ranked players in the Golfweek Senior and Super Senior rankings. If you’re interested in playing in the 2024 Senior Challenge at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia, head over to the ASCGA for more details.

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Vance Welch, Jeff Burda, George Walker, John Seehausen take home wins at drama-filled Golfweek Senior Amateur

There was no shortage of drama at the 2023 Golfweek Senior Amateur.

The Firecliff course at the Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, California, played host to one of the more dramatic finishes in Golfweek Senior Amateur history, with two of the events needing a playoff to decide things.

Vance Welch outlasted four others in a wild playoff.

Jeff Burda was dominant in the Super Senior division.

George Walker overcame a snowman on the scorecard earlier in the week.

John Seehausen defeats a former NBA star to win the Super Legends division.

Here’s more on each of the four divisions:

Senior Division (55-64)

Five players in the senior division ended up tied at 2 over following 54 holes. 36-hole co-leaders Tommy Brennan and Kirk Maynord both slipped from the top rung of the leaderboard following rounds of 4-over 76 to find themselves in a five man dog fight for the title.

The three challengers were all coming of sub-par rounds with Loren Lopeman having the hottest hand following a 4-under 68 to earn a spot in the playoff.

After playing the par-4 1st hole, Mike Combs bowed out with a bogey. The four remaining players then headed to the par-4 9th where Loperman and Brennan were eliminated.

Just as the sun was setting over the San Jacinto mountains, Vance Welch won the championship with a par on the par-3 8th. Welch, a Maryland native, improved each day en route to the win using rounds of 75, 72 and closing with a final 71 to backdoor his way to the win.

Super Senior (65-69)

Jeff Burda didn’t just play this week. He dominated.

The lone super senior that was exempted into last year’s U.S. Senior Amateur ran laps around not just his age bracket, but the entire field.

The So Cal native built a seven stroke lead with back-to-back rounds of 70 but saved his most impressive round for last. His bogey free final round 64 was the lowest score to par all week across all age groups and was six shots off of the all-time scoring record of 18 under.

Curtis Worley carded a final round 71 to secure a solo second place finish at 4 over while Scott Masingill rounded out the podium with a 5-over performance on the week.

Legend Division (70-74)

Legend George Walker had himself quite a roller coaster of a week.

Opening the tournament with four consecutive birdies, Walker ended his first round with an eight for a three-way tie for the 18-hole lead. After a second round 76, Walker trailed the leader, Fred Clark, by four shots heading into the final round.

Repeating his hot start from Thursday, Walker birdied the first four holes. Unlike Thursday, however, Walker was able to close out his round strong and avenged his snowman on 18 with a birdie to capture the championship and win by two shots.

Fred Clark finished second at 2 under for tournament while Patrick Rohan finished third at 2 over.

Super Legend (75+)

Another playoff occurred, this time in the 75+ Super Legend division. John Seehausen and former NBA star Jack Marin were both tied at 7 over through 54 holes.

Losing a playoff in this event two years ago, Marin was once again a bridesmaid as Seehausen defeated him in a one-hole playoff to take home the championship.

If you think you have what it takes to play against some of. the best senior amateur players from across the country check out the Golfweek Senior Amateur schedule here.

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Plenty of low scores highlight Golfweek Senior Amateur first round

A handful of players shot their age or better.

After a thrilling finish at the 2023 Golfweek Senior Division National Championship, the West Coast senior swing continues in Palm Desert, California.

Seniors from ages 55 to 75 and up hit the links in four different age brackets for 54 holes to crown champions. With prime scoring conditions at the Firecliff Course at Desert Willow Golf Resort, a handful of players shot their age or better.

Three men lead the way in the Senior division (ages 55-64). Stan Humphries, Kirk Maynord and Steven McPherson all carded rounds of 1-under 71. Seven players slide in behind them at even par. 55 players are within seven shots of the leaders.

In the Super Senior division (65-69), Scott Masingill and Jeff Burda share the top of the leaderboard after matching rounds of 2 under. A trio of players trail by three shots while another 11 players are within five of the leaders.

Three players in the Legends division (70-74) found the fountain of youth. Tom Yellin, Kerry Booth and George Walker scored in red numbers with a combined 12 birdies.

In the Super Legend division, five men shot their age or better. Led by Jim DuBois’ 1-over 73, Denny Atkins, John Blank, Bob Lutz and John Seehausen all reached the incredible feat on Thursday.

If you want to play alongside the best senior amateur golfers in the United States, check out the Golfweek senior amateur schedule here.

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Gary Albrecht wins 2023 Golfweek Senior Division National Championship

For Albrecht, the win is one of the biggest of his career.

One of the most highly-touted fields in all of amateur senior golf lived up to its billing this week. The 2023 Golfweek Senior Division National Championship needed an extra hole to crown a winner.

Following a one-hole playoff, 66-year-old Gary Albrecht came out on top at Desert Willow Golf Club in Palm Desert, California. The 36-hole leader was able to stave off Kory Frost for his first national championship win with a 2-under 214 total.

Typically a super senior, Albrecht dropped an age bracket to play, as it’s right down the road from where he winters in Indian Wells.

“I was comfortable coming in,” Albrecht said. “I was hitting the ball well and the first round I thought I didn’t putt real well but I was right there. I putted real well in round two and made a move up the leaderboard and then today was really just a matter of holding it together.”

Albrecht needed a bit of duct tape early after recording three bogeys through his first five holes. Never hitting the panic button, Albrecht quietly worked his way back toward 1 over on the day as he hit the final stretch.

“My game wasn’t all working, but it all worked at different times,” Albrecht recalled.

One group ahead of Albrecht were his top two challengers.

Jon Lindstrom and Kory Frost both had shots to track down Albrecht. Lindstrom bowed out after making par on the par-5 18th for a final-round 69. Frost however, birdied the hole to get himself to 2 under for the tournament and 6 under in his final 10 holes.

After an Albrecht par on No. 18, the pair were deadlocked at 2 under and headed to the first tee for a sudden-death playoff.

Both men found themselves in the left rough off the tee. Albrecht played first and nearly got to the green in two. Frost countered with a shot that was also a near miss, just left of the green.

With about 40 feet left, Albrecht elected to use the Texas wedge to try and knock it close.

Fortunately for Albrecht, the flagstick saved him from running by as his ball kissed the flagstick and nestled up well inside a foot. Frost left his birdie putt short and was unable to knock down a five-foot slider to extend the playoff.

For Albrecht, the win is one of the biggest of his career.

How’s the semi-retired attorney going to celebrate the victory? Well he’s going to tee it right back up on Thursday at the Golfweek Senior Amateur.

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Gary Albrecht leads 2023 Golfweek Senior Division National Championship

It’s one of the deepest fields in all of senior amateur golf.

The 2023 Golfweek Senior Division National Championship has become a battle in the desert.

Gary Albrecht takes a two-shot lead into the final round at Desert Willow Golf Club in Palm Desert, California, following a 4 under 68 on Monday. The California native carded just one bogey on the day to leapfrog 18-hole leader, Robert Funk, to take the 36-hole lead.

Funk was able to work off an early-round double bogey, closing his scoring with a birdie on No. 17 to get himself back to even on the day and remain 1 under for the tournament. He and Joe Palmer sit at 1 under and lead a pack of players well within striking range.

Mark Lindberg and Leonard Komar are both 1 over and coming off of sub-par rounds Monday. Three more players are in a tie for sixth, just five shots off the lead.

As one of the deepest fields in all of senior amateur golf, the tournament is living up to its billing. Six players, including 2021 U.S. Senior low amateur Billy Mitchell, are just 3 over and six shots back. With such an elite field, the championship is still anyone’s ball game.

For 2022 Golfweek Challenge Cup captain Craig Hurlbert, the week comes to an abrupt end with a WD. Other notables: Jerry Gunthorpe (T17), Craig Larson (T17), Kevin VandenBerg (T29) and Vance Welch (T39).

If you want to tee it up with the best senior amateurs in the game, check out the Golfweek senior amateur schedule here.