Mike Rowley’s birdie putt to win lipped out, but partner Mark Morgan didn’t let him down.
Morgan sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the last hole to give Rowley-Morgan a one-stroke victory over Andrew Gabelman-Terry Foreman and John Jaramillo-Dean Prince in the Northern California Golf Association Senior Four-Ball Championship at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach.
“I went over and told him, ‘It’s time for you to know, if you don’t make your putt, we’re going to lose,’” Rowley said later. “The course really owed him. The biggest thing, Mark was so patient. He had a lot of putts all over the hole during the round that didn’t go in.
“We think a lot alike out there. That makes it easy. Mark makes it easy too. When you’re loose, you hit the ball better.”
The 61-year-old Morgan, reigning NCGA Senior Player of the Year, and Rowley, both of Serrano Country Club in San Luis Obispo, started the final round with a three-stroke lead and held on to win with a score of 67-65-69—201, 12-under-par.
Gabelman, of Monterey Peninsula Country Club, and Foreman, of Antioch Golf Course, carded a score of 67-69-66—202, while Prince-Jaramillo, both of Catta Verdera Country Club in Lincoln, finished at 68-67-67—202.
Casey Boyns of the Club at Pasadera in Monterey and Jeff Britton of Monterey Peninsula CC were tied for the lead at one stage in the final round before finishing fourth at 68-68-67—203.
John Donnelley and Larry Salk, both of Richmond Country Club, totaled 72-68-64—204 to tie for fourth with Randy Haag of the Olympic Club in San Francisco and Robert Funk of AmateurGolf.com, who wound up at 66-70-68—204, while Joey Ferrari of Eclub Central Valley and Mike Staskus of the Olympic Club were seventh at 71-69-65—205.
John Watson of San Francisco Golf Club and Bobby Schaeffer of Eclub Monterey Bay shot 69-71-66—206 to tie for eighth with Greg Henry of Valley Hi Country Club in Elk Grove and Patrick Parry of Del Paso Country Club in Sacramento, who wound up at 69-69-68—206, while Dennis Martin and Bryan Waters, both of California Golf Club in South San Francisco carded a score of 73-67-67—207 to tie for 10th with David Oas of AmateurGolf.com and Geoff Park of Eclub Monterey Bay, who finished at 70-68-69—207, and Dean Menante and Kevin Hall, both of E Club Sacramento, who came in at 69-66-72—207.
Frank Pieper of Monterey Peninsula CC and Rich Gleghorn of De Laveaga Golf Club in Santa Crushes captured the Super Senior title with a score of 67-70-65—202, followed by Kemp Richardson of AmateurGolf.com and Jim Knoll of Mt. Diablo Firefighters Golf Club at 69-70-67—206, Herb Jensen of Del Paso Country Club and Dennis Younglove of El Macero Country Club at 71-71-67—209, and Mel Collins and David Uihara, both of AmateurGolf.com at 71-70-68—209.
Dave Sheff and Bruce Loman, both of AmateurGolf.com, totaled 69-71-70—210 to tie for fifth with Rich Morrison of Salinas Fairways Golf Course, and Neil Duffy of AmateurGolf.com, who finished at 67-72-71—210.
Vic Shellenberg of Bennett Valley Golf Club and Michael Terry, both of Bennett Valley Golf Course in Santa Rosa were seventh at 70-71-70—211, followed by Charles Richesin and Bob Thomason of Woodbridge Golf and Country Club at 72-69-71—212, while
Joe Zanassi and Dan Bieber of Green Valley Country Club in Fairfield shot 74-69-70—213 to tie for ninth with Ron Johnson of Diablo Country Club and Ramsden of Ancil Hoffman Golf Course in Carmichael, who came in at 69-72-72—213.
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