2006 Senior Championship

Larry Clark Wins Georgia Senior Championship by Two

Live Scoring/Pairings Menu

 

ATLANTA - Kennesaw's Larry Clark broke par for the third time in as many rounds, scoring a final-round 70 to finish at 5-under 211and collecting a two-stroke victory over Greensboro's Mike Sprouts at the 20th annual Georgia Senior Championship. The championship took place at Cherokee Town and Country Club, August 29-31.

Bill Blalock of Atlanta, a past GSGA president playing in his first Senior Championship, shot the low score of the day and tied the low round of the tournament, 4-under-par 68, to finish third at 215. Wally Adams Jr. of Vidalia was three strokes back in fourth with a 218 total. Kennesaw's Bill Leonard turned in a final-round 69 to finish fifth at 219, while Atlanta's Jerry Greenbaum posted his fourth-straight top-10 finish in this event, placing sixth at 220. Alpharetta's Don Marsh and Marietta's Jackson Moore tied for seventh at 5-over 221, while Joe Brogdon Jr. of Macon and Ken Benson of Alpharetta shared 10th position at 222.

Clark, who held a one-stroke advantage over Sprouts going into the final round, had increased his lead to three strokes after seven holes. Sprouts took a bogey on the fourth, and Clark carded his first birdie of the day on No. 7, hitting his tee shot on the par-3, 175-yard hole to five feet. Clark dropped a stroke with a bogey on the 566-yard ninth hole to turn with a two-stroke lead, but quickly doubled that margin with back-to-back birdies on holes 10 and 11, the second birdie courtesy of a 30-foot putt.

Still holding a four-stroke lead through 16 holes, Clark appeared to be on his way to a drama-free win. But he and Sprouts made the final two holes interesting, as Clark missed a short par putt on the 413-yard 17th and Sprouts chipped in for birdie on the par-5 18th. Clark's birdie putt on the 18 fell just short as he settled for par and the two-stroke win.

Clark was the only player to score under par in all three rounds of the championship. Only Sprouts' even-par 72 in the opening round kept him from making the same claim. Clark, with a total score of 5-under 211, ties 2002 champion Frank Constanzo with the lowest 54-hole score in this event.

"It is certainly a great honor for me to win a state championship," Clark said, "especially when I see names like Bill Ploeger, Spencer Sappington and Joe Estes, and all the other names as well, on this trophy."

Clark was presented with the Johnny Skeadas Trophy, given by his family in memory and honor of the two-time champion from Savannah. Skeadas was the first Senior Champion when the event returned from a 15-year hiatus in 1987, capturing the title in his hometown at The Landings Club's Plantation Course. He won again in 1992 at Coosa Country Club in Rome.

Clark, who teamed up with Marsh to win the 2005 Georgia Senior Four-Ball Championship, was playing in his fourth Senior Championship. His previous best finish a tie for sixth in his first attempt at The Savannah Golf Club in 2003. Sprouts tied for 11th in that same event.

Skies were overcast and rain fell intermittently throughout the final round, but play was never suspended.

Cherokee Town and Country Club played to 6,718 yards and a par 72.

The Georgia Senior Championship is conducted by the Georgia State Golf Association. Entries were open to male amateur golfers at least 55 years old as of August 29, 2006, who belong to a GSGA Member Club and are residents of Georgia. The field of 144 was determined by the lowest USGA Handicap Indexes.
Following the second round, the field was cut to the low 70 and ties and anyone within 10 strokes of the leader. The cut line fell at 14-over 158 with exactly 70 players advancing.