Tom Brandes (Society of Seniors Photo)

Tuesday was unseasonably warm with highs around 90 degrees, while Wednesday, the area saw its first rainfall in nearly three months, with about an inch of rain falling in the afternoon that caused a two-hour delay in play. On Thursday morning, players were greeted by dense fog and temps in the low 50s that created another challenge in navigating the Bob Cupp design. The sun finally broke through in the afternoon for the final pairing to play their last six holes with clear vision.

Tom Brandes, of Bellevue, WA, slept on a six-shot lead and cruised on to victory as he fired another under-par round on Thursday, this time a 2-under 69 to finish as the lone player under par for the event at 6-under, 207. 

Brandes, a 2015 inductee of the Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Fame, now adds a Society of Seniors title to his long list of stellar accomplishments.  He carded birdies on the treacherous par-four sixth hole and the par-four dogleg-right No. 12 and kept a clean card throughout the final round, keeping any would-be challengers at bay.

“I try not to think of it, I go into it like I’m tied,” said Brandes, when asked about playing with a lead.  “I know Hollis and Greg are great players, so I just treated it as if we were even from the start.  I stayed real focused because the water [Ghost Creek] really pops out of nowhere on several holes out here, so you need to pay attention, especially on six, nine, and seventeen."

Brandes added, "I gave myself some nice approach distances and made some good swings, and it was nice to keep it bogey-free today.  My hat’s off to Pumpkin Ridge for the hospitality, and it was in great shape all week.”

Greg Goode, of Salina, KS, finished runner-up for the second straight year in this event, finishing at 1-over, 214 total. 

Goode was one of five players under par in the final round, posting a solid round of 1-under 70. In a tie for third place, Dave Gaer, of Des Moines, IA, and Robert Harrington, of Scottsdale, AZ, were one stroke behind Goode at 3-over 215, respectively. Gaer matched Brandes’ round of 69 on Thursday, while Harrington and Robert Brooks (13th place) of West Des Moines, IA, both posted 70 to join the group of sub-par final rounds.

The 2025 edition of the National Super Senior Championship, conducted by the Society of Seniors, will take place in Columbus, Ohio, at Columbus Country Club from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2.