CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. (Dec. 10, 2011) -- Ron Carter of Monticello, Ind., matched the low score of the final round Saturday, a two under par 70, to win what he facetiously called the Rick Woulfe Invitational” at Heron Bay Golf Club.
It was the 15th annual senior-super seniors division of the historic Dixie Amateur tournament and Carter won by a stroke, saving par from a greenside bunker on the final hole. He edged close friend Bob Stephens of Indianapolis, Ind., 210 to 211.
Dick Anderson of Bluffton, S.C., was third at 70-212, while Woulfe followed with three straight 71s for 213. A Fort Lauderdale attorney, Woulfe won the Dixie Seniors the last three years and six times since 2000, hence Carter’s comment.
In super seniors play for golfers 65 and older, Pat Vincelli of Stuart and Rosemount, Minn., won by three strokes. He was the only player to break par and he did it twice after opening with 78, adding 69-70 for 217.
Carter, 61, a soon-to-be retired insurance agent and winner of the Society of Seniors Championship in 2010 and the Senior Porter Cup in September, did not make a bogey Saturday and in 54 holes he had 10 birdies and four bogeys.
“I had three or four putts today that just stopped a revolution or two short of the hole,” he said. “I don’t think I missed a fairway all day and only one green, at 18,” where he sank the decisive six-foot putt, his biggest par-save of the day, he said.
There were estimates of up to three inches of rain since Friday and contestants were allowed to lift-clean-and-place their balls in their fairways while keeping their carts on the paths. Even downhill putts were short frequently, some players said. Vincelli, who began the final round at the 10th hole in a shotgun start, eagled the par-5 14th hole with driver, 3-iron and 25-foot putt and added three birdies and two bogeys.
“The first round was a nightmare but I played well the last two days,” he said.
A retired human resources executive, he trailed by five strokes after the first round but by only one the second day. He made three birdies and a bogey Saturday. Vincelli was runnerup in two Florida State Golf Association events the last two years.
The seniors-super seniors event was the first of four tournaments this month to be played at Heron Bay under the umbrella of the Dixie Amateur. The 81st Dixie will be played Dec. 19-22, the Women’s Dec. 30-Jan.2 and the Senior Women’s Dec. 30-Jan. 1.
ABOUT THE
Dixie Senior & Mid-Master
The senior version of the Dixie Amateur
Championship added a Mid-Master division
starting in 2019. 54-hole
stroke play event with no cut. Mid-Master (ages 40-
54), Senior (ages 55-64)
and Super Senior
(65+) Divisions. The tournament has long drawn
some of the
country's top senior golfers to South Florida -- Doug
Hanzel (2013-2014, 2017); Brady Exber (2012); and
Rick
Woulfe (an amazing 7 titles, his latest in 2015) are
among the past
champions. All three rounds are
contested at
Eagle Trace Golf Club. You may request an
invitation at
www.dixieamateur.com.
View Complete Tournament Information