2011 Senior Four-Ball Championship

Baxter, Blalock Win 20th Georgia Senior Four-Ball Championship
Atlanta duo wins by five strokes over 2010 champs

WAVERLY, Ga. – Mark Baxter and Bill Blalock, both of Atlanta, held on to their own lead to win the Georgia Senior Four-Ball Championship at 18-under-par 195 (60-67-68).  Baxter and Blalock won by five strokes over runner-ups Don Marsh of Johns Creek and Larry Clark of Kingston (13-under-par 200; 69-63-68), who won this event a year ago.  This year the event celebrated its 20th anniversary and took place at The Golf Club at Sanctuary Cove in Waverly and King & Prince Golf Course in St. Simons Island, November 9-11.   

 

Three teams finished tied for third at 11-under-par 202, including Jimmy Thomas of Johns Creek and Richard Van Leuvan of Roswell (65-70-67), Taylor Adams of St. Simons Island and Frank Perry of Fayetteville (65-68-69), and Steve Collins of Claxton and Wally Adams of Vidalia (65-67-70).  The Greensboro team of Eric Silver and Frank Travetto (70-63-70) tied with Pete Malcolm of Duluth and Jack Benson of Roswell (66-67-70) for sixth.  Rounding out the top 10 at 8-under-par 205 were three teams who tied for eighth.  The Columbus team of Jimmy Holman and Bobby Brent, Jr., (70-68-67), Mark Benefield of Duluth and Lee Dennis of Athens (68-67-70), and William Bader of Roswell and Rocky Costa of Alpharetta (68-67-70) finished 10 strokes behind the victorious team of Baxter and Blalock. 

 

To open the Georgia Senior Four-Ball Championship, the team of Baxter and Blalock fired an 11-under-par 60 (31-29) to secure a five-stroke advantage heading into the second round.  In round two, the leaders recorded five birdies and one bogey, improving their total to 15-under-par 127 through 36 holes.  Still with a five-stroke lead heading into the final round, Baxter and Blalock never let up as they added four more birdies and one bogey.  Over the three-round event, the dynamic duo registered 20 birdies and two bogeys.

 

In the first flight, Donald Dale and Ernie Venet, both of Moultrie, won at 2-under-par 214 (74-67-73).  Tom Toombs of Perry and Doug Johnson of Bonaire won the second flight by six strokes at 3-under-par 213 (69-72-72).  In the third flight, Charles Boyle of Atlanta and John Calvert of Jonesboro finished at 7-over-par (74-77-72) to notch the win.  Sam Horner of Dawsonville and Duncan Knapp of Big Canoe captured the title in the fourth flight at 7-over-par 223 (75-72-76), nine strokes ahead of that flight’s runner-ups.   

 

The Championship flight played all three rounds at The Golf Club at Sanctuary Cove in Waverly – a par 71, 6,410-yard track.  The first through fourth flights played each round at King & Prince Golf Course in St. Simons Island – a par 72, 6,209-yard layout.

 

The low 48 teams based on combined handicap index comprise the Championship Flight.  The remainder of the field was determined by lottery and flighted by team handicap index.  Only the competitors in the Championship flight are eligible for the overall title.  Entries were open to two-man teams of male amateur golfers age 55 or older as of November 9 and who have a maximum handicap differential of six strokes. 

 

The completion of this week’s Georgia Senior Four-Ball Championship marks the end of the 2011 GSGA tournament season. 

 

Founded in 1916, the Georgia State Golf Association (GSGA) received its official charter on June 24, 1924.  Since that date, the GSGA has grown to one of the largest state amateur golf associations in the country, with over 350 member clubs and 85,000 individual members.  With a mission to promote and preserve amateur golf in the state of Georgia, GSGA offers a computerized handicapping service, course rating and measuring, and annually conducts a full schedule of statewide competitions for men and women of all age groups.  Other services include a summer-long junior sectional program, award-winning Golf Georgia magazine, membership recognition and rewards programs, management of the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame and a charitable foundation administering two college scholarship programs.