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Mike McCoy, Rick Woulfe win titles at Crane Cup
Mike McCoy
Mike McCoy

PALM CITY, Florida (Nov 16, 2014) – Mike McCoy of Des Moines , Iowa , went double bogey-bogey- bogey on the 18th hole Sunday. But as disastrous as that sounds, it was just enough for the 2013 US Mid- Amateur champion to win the fourth annual Crane Cup golf tournament at Floridian.

That’s because Patrick Christovich of New Orleans, McCoy’s playing partner all day, made bogey- bogey- double bogey on the same three trips around the par-5 18th.

The first pair of misplays allowed Christovich to catch McCoy on the 54th hole at 69-208. They had started the final round tied at three under par 139.

Both bogeyed 18 the second time through, the first playoff hole, then Christovich went from hazard to trees to the front of the green to hitting the flagstick and caroming away about four inches.

That putt for double being a given though concessions are not part of a stroke play tournament, McCoy got down quicker if not sooner with driver, 4-iron, a 70-yard wedge shot and a three putts from 40 feet including a four-foot bogey- save.

“Imagine that, double bogey-bogey-bogey finish and still win,” McCoy said. “And I hadn’t made a bogey all day.” He had four birdies Sunday, five Saturday enroute to 67, “and a bunch of birdies and a bunch of bogeys” in Friday’s opening round of 72, he said.

The finish was similar in a way but with a different outcome to the second Crane Cup in January, 2013, before the tournament was changed to the end of the year a November ago. In the early-season event in 2013, Christovich butchered the final hole of regulation, then birdied 18 as the first playoff hole to edge Todd Burgan of Knoxville , Tenn. , after they had tied at 211.

Aaron Hickman of Tyler , Texas , was the only other player in contention at the end Sunday with 67- 209. Colby Harwell of Waco , Texas , the mid- amateur winner a year ago, by nine strokes at 206, finished at 217 this year.

In the senior division, Rick Woulfe of Fort Lauderdale won his third straight tournament. After a pair of 69s, Woulfe made a birdie and a bogey on each nine Sunday for 71-209. He totaled nine birdies and five bogeys the first two rounds and won by three strokes.

“I played well all weekend but I really played well today,” said Woulfe, who turns 65 in two weeks. “I just missed a bunch of putts today.”

Woulfe and Gordon Marshall of Sarasota won the Florida State Senior Four-Ball in October at Sara Bay CC in Sarasota , then 10 days ago, Woulfe captured the Society of Seniors Championship at Quail Ridge CC in Boynton Beach . Next on his calendar in his bid for four or five in a row will be the Society of Seniors’ Ralph Bogart Memorial, Dec. 8-10 at Jonathan’s Landing GC at Old Trail, Jupiter, and the Dixie Amateur, senior division, Dec. 12-14 at Heron Bay GC, Coral Springs.

Doug Hanzel of Savannah , Ga. , was second on 212. Duke Delcher of Beaufort , S.C. , the winner last year in a playoff at 211, shot 221 this weekend.

The Crane Cup drew 50 players in the mid- amateur division, ages 25-54, and 30 seniors, 55 and older.

SENIOR NOTES

Woulfe topped a leaderboard that looks like a "who's-who" of senior amateur golf, as the next three names included the last two years' winners of the USGA Senior Am (this year's winner Pat Tallent in 4th, and 2013 champ Doug Hanzel in 2nd) along with Chip Lutz in third place.

-- story courtesy Treasure Coast Newspapers

Results: Crane Cup
1IAMike McCoyW. Des Moines, IA30072-67-69=208*
2LAPatrick ChristovichNew Orleans, LA20071-68-69=208
3TXAaron HickmanTyler, TX10072-70-67=209
T4NYDarin GoldsteinNew York, NY10078-68-68=214
T4MOSkip BerkmeyerTown & Country, MO10068-73-73=214

View full results for Crane Cup

ABOUT THE Crane Cup

**Will not be held in 2019

54-hole scratch stroke play event with Mid-Amateur and Senior Divisions, hosted by the recently redesigned (Tom Fazio) Floridian in Palm City, Florida. Tournament Director Kevin Marsh is a USGA Mid-Amateur champion and has helped attract a strong field of committed players for this invitational tournament.

View Complete Tournament Information

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