2003 Senior Championship

Spencer Sappington Holds on to Win Georgia Senior Championship by One

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Spencer Sappington of Alpharetta made a clutch six-foot par putt on 18 to hold on for one-stroke victory at the GSGA's Georgia Senior Championship at Savannah Golf Club, carding a final-round, four-over 76 for an eight-over 224. Savannah GC member Smokey Keeney, who went from seven-over to 13-over par in his first six holes, came roaring back into contention with a four-under performance on the back nine to capture second at 225. Keeney, playing just in front of Sappington, had birdied 17 and narrowly missed a 15-foot birdie putt and a shot at the championship on 18.

Second-round co-leader Jerry Greenbaum of Atlanta, who traded shots and the lead with Sappington most of the day, dropped two critical strokes at 17 and 18 to finish tied for third at 10-over 226, with three-time champion Bill Ploeger of Columbus (75) and Golf Club member Bubba Victor (74). Greenbaum mis-hit a chip on the par-five 17th and lost a stroke to Sappington's two-putt birdie, before burying his approach on 18 in a greenside bunker, where he need two strokes to get out and made bogey. Victor also made a late charge, moving into a tie with the leaders at nine over after nearly chipping in for eagle at 17, but he dropped a stroke at 18 after his drive found a fairway bunker. Ploeger, who has finished runner-up in this event each of the past three years, started three back of the leaders and got to nine under with a birdie at the par-three 13th, but bogeyed 16 and parred the final two.

Larry Clark of Kennesaw shot a final-round 71, which tied Sappington's first round for the tournament low,to move into a tie for sixth at 227 with Michael Smith of Cumming (76). Greg Scurlock of Augusta closed with a 76 for eighth place at 228. Defending Champion Frank Costanzo, who moved to within two of the lead after a birdie at 10, finished with a final-round 77 to drop back to a tie for ninth at 230, with Danny Daniels of Kingsland.

Most of the front runners struggled on the opening nine, with Sappington and Greenbaum each bogeying two, four, six and seven. Greenbaum took a brief lead when Sappington failed to get up and down on the par-3 eighth. Sappington, who said he thought they "had choked themselves out of it," made back-to-back birdies on 10 and 11, both par fives, but only shared the lead, as Greenbaum birdied 11 as well. Sappington went up a stroke when Greenbaum bogeyed 13, but gave it back on 14, where his approach took a hard bounce over the green. The two traded strokes again at 15 and 16, with Greenbaum chunking his approach and narrowly missing a long par putt, followed by Sappington failing to get up and down on the par-3 16th to remain tied at nine over.

Sappington nearly made it interesting on 18 when he cut his drive to within two yards of the out-of-bounds markers by the driving range, but he "drew a good lie and reached back and grabbed everything he had," hitting his seven iron 154 yards over a treacherous bunker to the safe side of the green. His lag putt broke a little more than he expected to leave him with the six-footer for the win.

The win was an emotional one for Sappington who had come close several times. "To be on this trophy with all these friends; it means a lot. I guess it was my time." Sappington, 60, finished fourth in 2002, tied for second in 2001 and third in 1999. This was Sappington's second individual GSGA title and fifth overall. Sappington won the 1998 Georgia Match Play Championship and three Georgia Senior Four-Ball Championships, two with Ploeger (2002, 2000) and one with Greenbaum (1998).

Entries were open to male amateur golfers who are at least 55 years old, members of a GSGA Member Club and residents of Georgia. The entrants with the lowest 60 handicap indexes comprised the Championship flight. The remainder of the field, 84 players drawn by lottery, was divided into seven flights based on handicap index. All players played from 6,284 yards and were eligible for the overall title.

GSGA conducts 17 statewide competitions for men and women of all age groups, three interstate matches and 17 USGA qualifying events each year. Other services include computerized handicapping, course rating and measuring, a summer-long junior sectional competitions program, Golf Georgia magazine and two college scholarship programs.

Final Results

Championship Flight
1 Spencer Sappington, Alpharetta 71 77 76 224
2 Smokey Keeney, Savannah 74 77 74 225
3 Jules "Bubba" Victor III, Savannah 74 78 74 226
3 Bill Ploeger, Columbus 74 77 75 226
3 Jerry Greenbaum, Atlanta 74 74 78 226
6 Larry Clark, Kennesaw 74 82 71 227
6 Michael Smith, Cumming 77 74 76 227
8 Greg Scurlock, Augusta 78 74 76 228
9 Danny Daniels, Kingsland 76 77 77 230
9 Frank Costanzo, Savannah 74 79 77 230
11 Don Marsh, Alpharetta 75 79 77 231
11 Mike Sprouts, Greensboro 74 77 80 231
13 Frank Perry, Fayetteville 78 80 74 232
13 Bob Coleman, Greensboro 74 79 79 232
15 Paul Petrie, Dultuh 78 80 75 233
15 Wayne Harrell, Stone Mountain 78 78 77 233
15 Tom Reid, Macon 82 75 76 233
15 Peter Donald, Dacula 79 77 77 233
19 Curtis Wagner, Peachtree City 79 78 77 234
20 Charlie Busbee, McDonough 80 79 76 235
20 John Felker, Atlanta 78 80 77 235
20 Bill Mullen, Woodstock 78 78 79 235
20 Nick Kirkland, Snellville 76 80 79 235
20 Hugh Arnold, McDonough 76 78 81 235
20 James Sale, Alpharetta 78 73 84 235
26 Mike Jackson Sr., Martinez 83 80 73 236
26 Buz Hall, Macon 80 82 74 236
28 Taylor Turner, Chamblee 77 79 81 237
28 Glenn Vaughn, Dallas 80 77 80 237
28 Frank Aliffi, Savannah 84 78 75 237
31 Sherold Skinner, Fayetteville 80 79 79 238
31 Bob Smith, Swainsboro 82 78 78 238
33 Victor Jarvis, Savannah 78 84 77 239
34 Boyd Johnson, Statesboro 85 75 80 240
34 Earl Bowden, Macon 79 76 85 240
34 Freddy Atterberry, Dahlonega 74 78 88 240
34 Joe Whisenart, Douglasville 85 77 78 240
34 Steve Hoffman, Savannah 79 81 80 240
39 Karl Simon, Lawrenceville 83 78 81 242
40 Earl Johnson, Lawrenceville 83 78 83 244
40 Bill Boyden, Savannah 81 79 84 244
42 Doug Busz, Duluth 81 84 80 245
42 Tom Hall, Albany 85 78 82 245
44 Bobby Jones, Savannah 81 85 80 246
44 Jim Robinson, Fayetteville 82 83 81 246
44 Thomas Rood, Savannah 82 82 82 246
47 Jim Weeks, Savannah 84 84 79 247
48 Dick Van Leuvan, Roswell 84 81 83 248
49 Billy McGinley, Savannah 90 81 78 249
49 Gerry Grogan, Gainesville 78 88 83 249
51 Bob Nance, Calhoun 84 74 92 250
52 Ron Savastano, Roswell 89 83 79 251
52 Sergio Silva, Woodstock 84 85 82 251
54 Jim Planche, Lawrenceville 86 83 84 253
55 Bill Wetzel, Dunwoody 83 82 92 257
56 Larry Eglen, Marietta 87 82 89 258
57 Tom Powers, Smyrna 89 89 85 263
58 Walter Fugate, Macon 83 77 WD
58 William Lepley, Alpharetta 80 WD
58 Jack Bandy, Dalton NS