Owen Joyner (L) and Jerry Young (R)
(FSGA photo)
VERO BEACH, FL (June 15, 2017) - 53 Seniors and 31 Super-Seniors arrived at Riomar Country Club, in Vero Beach, ready to face tough competition en route to being crowned Senior and Super-Senior Match Play Champion. Stroke Play qualifying took place on Sunday and Monday, June 11-12. Two familiar names finished first and second in the Senior stroke play seeding round. Pete Williams, 2014 Senior Match Play Champion and Senior Player of the Year, finished as the first seed with two consistent rounds of 69. One shot behind, as second seed, was three time Player of the Year, Rick Woulfe, with rounds of 69-70. Robert Lundquist came back with a second round 68 (-4) to finish as the first seed in the Super-Senior stroke play seeding.
Senior Division
Owen Joyner, of Bonita Springs, began the Round of 32 as the ninth seed and was determined to dominate the field. Number one seed from Juno Beach, Pete Williams, advanced to the Quarterfinals where he met Joyner. After a grueling 19 holes on Wednesday, Joyner prevailed to play the afternoon Semifinal match against 28th seed, David Tassell. While Joyner was inching closer to the finals, defending Champion, Peter Wegmann, 18th seed from Fort Lauderdale, was making his move. Wegmann, 2016 Senior Player of the Year, battled Don Whittemore 21 holes in the Quarterfinals to go head to head with Neil Vanleeuwen in the Semifinals. Vanleeuwen, of Tarpon Springs, was a force to be reckoned with defeating the number three seed, Lloyd Fisher, in the first round of match play.
The Semifinals saw Joyner continue on his winning streak, heading straight to the Final match with a two and one victory over Tassell. Peter Wegmann advanced to the Finals defeating Vanleeuwen two and one, moving closer to defending his title! The Final Match was played on Thursday with Joyner jumping to an early lead determined to better his Quarterfinalist finish in 2016. Joyner won the first two holes with a par and birdie respectfully, and continued to win three other holes on the front nine to turn at three-up over Wegmann. The match remained at three-up until the 13th hole when Wegmann brought the match to two-up heading into the home stretch. Joyner fired back with two pars on holes 14 and 15 to seal his four and three victory. Joyner can celebrate his first FSGA Championship win in two years after winning the Senior Four-Ball in 2015.
Super-Senior
Jerry Young started match play with a vengeance, playing to seize victory after finishing runner-up to Larry Vander Bie in 2015. Young, of New Port Richey, followed the number one seed, Robert Lundquist, to the Semifinals where the two would compete to play in the final match. Bill Barnes who started match play as the number three seed was playing to better his quarterfinal finish in 2016. Barnes advanced to the Semifinals where he would play Robert Cunningham. Barnes moved straight to the final match with a one-up win while Young played 19 holes to reach the Finals.
The final match went back and forth between Young and Barnes up to the final two holes of the front nine. Young birdied eight and nine to turn at one-up. Barnes fought back on the final nine and birdied the 16th hole to keep the match at one-up for Young heading into the final holes. Young clenched his win with a par on the 18th hole to earn a two-up victory! Jerry Young captured his first FSGA Championship victory in Vero Beach.
View results for Florida Senior Match Play
ABOUT THE
Florida Senior Match Play
The Senior Championship is for those
individuals
over the age of 55. Two age divisions, 55-64
and
65 and over, will compete with one round of
stroke play qualifying followed by single
elimination match play rounds to determine
winners in each division.
View Complete Tournament Information