Brad Shaw
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (June 27, 2015) -- Two weeks
ago, Brad Shaw lost in the second round of The Los
Angeles Country Club Championship.
Today, Shaw captured his second George C.
Thomas title in four years, against a field of not only
his home club's best, but a number of nationally
ranked mid-ams as well. Trailing by two heading into
the final round, Shaw put up the tournament's low
score, a 4-under 66. That was good for a 54-hole
total of 2-under 209.
"I prefer stroke play, all day," joked
Shaw.
Playing in the second to last mid-am group with
his close friend and Los Angeles CC member Jerry
Chang, the comfort level was high right from the
get-go.
"We try to get paired together in the Club
Championship [qualifying portion] since we both play
fast and like to go out early," said Shaw.
Today they didn't choose their pairing, but it
certainly worked out well, as Shaw went out in 2-
under on the front nine and started to feel good
about his chances despite a bogey at the downhill
par-3 11th. He took advantage of a forward-placed
tee on the par-5 14th, (making it 499 yards) hit the
green in two and two-putted for birdie. Then a nice
wedge into the postage stamp par 3 15th wound up
12 feet away and he converted that to get back to 3-
under on the day.
After finding the middle of the fairway on No.
16, Shaw short sided himself into some heavy fescue
short and right of the green and holed out for birdie.
The day was starting to feel special.
"After hitting a gap wedge off the toe, I
got a little lucky with the lie on 16," said Shaw.
"I didn't want to get too cute, just get it down
the hill and it rolled out perfectly."
Solid second shots that found the green on Nos.
17 and 18 left Shaw thirty foot putts for birdie -- he
two putted both of them to post 66 and 209 for the
tournament. Finishing behind him were Michael
Castleforte of Chicago (2-over 213) and Scott
McGihon of Palm Desert (3-over 214).
LACC Member Mark Sear and Ryan Abbate of Florida
both made aces on the 15th hole in the final round.
SENIOR DIVISION
The Senior Division also drew some top names
from around the U.S. -- guys like Grady Brame and
Eddie Lyons from Louisiana, Met Section (NY) legend
George Zahringer, and a former U.S. Open qualifier
named Dave Nelson, from Reno.
Nelson, who found his way to the top of the
leaderboard after a solid second round, put up a 68
to emerge from the pack, just like Shaw did in the
Mid-Am division. At 2-over 213 for the tournament,
Nelson's score was 5 clear of the runners-up.
Nelson started birdie-birdie-par, but gave the
red numbers back with a double on the par-3 4th.
He "bounced back" with a birdie at No. 5,
shot 35 on the front nine, and came home with a 33,
which was capped off by a birdie at No. 18.
Zahringer and Brady Exber tied for second at
218.
ABOUT THE
George Thomas Invitational
54-hole stroke play invitational with Mid-Am and
Senior divisions is named for George C. Thomas, Jr.,
the legendary golf course architect who designed the
courses for Bel-Air Country Club, The Los Angeles
Country Club, Riviera Country Club and others in the
1920s. Thomas was a prominent rose breeder on
the
East Coast before gaining fame as a golf course
designer. Los Angeles Country Club was the host of
the 2017 Walker Cup.
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