2000 Senior Championship

Van Leuvan Upsets Ploeger at Georgia Senior Championship

On a day when everyone seemed ready to hand over another title to Bill Ploeger of Columbus on his home course, Dick Van Leuvan of Roswell had other plans, birdieing four of his last five holes and forcing a playoff which he won to capture the 22nd Annual Georgia Senior Championship being held at Green Island Country Club in Columbus September 13-15.

At the start of the day, Ploeger was primed to win his fourth Georgia Senior title. He had shot two 69's and had a five shot lead. Unfortunately, he struggled for most of the day shooting a 38-37 for a 75 and a three-day total of 213. After six holes he had managed to record only one par. The key was on the back side. Van Leuvan was two over for the day through 13 holes, then proceeded to birdie holes 14, 16, 17, and 18. Ploeger bogeyed the 17th and 18th holes. That forced a playoff, which Van Leuvan won by sinking a 16-foot putt for par on the 18th hole, the first hole of sudden death.

Van Leuvan, playing in his first Senior Championship, upset Ploeger's hopes of defending both senior titles he won last year. Ploeger won the Georgia Senior at Griffin Country Club and a week later won the US Senior Amateur. Of course, the fact that he was even playing in this championship was amazing. Last month, he suffered a heart attack in Scotland just before he was to play in the British Senior Open. It was uncertain if he would be able to compete in this championship or even the US Senior Amateur next week.

The format for the championship was three days of 18-hole stroke play. The field was divided into eight flights. The championship flight was made up of the top 60 players by handicap index. The event was open to male amateur golfers who are members of GSGA Member Clubs, are residents of Georgia and are at least 55 years old at the start of the tournament.

Final Results

 

Championship Flight
 1 Van Leuvan, Dick, Roswell 73 71 69 213*
Ploeger, Bill, Columbus 69 69 75 213
3 Tatum, Richard, Atlanta 71 73 75 219
Lepley, William, Alpharetta 74 72 73 219
5 Marsh, Don, Alpharetta 74 75 72 221
6 Sappington, Spencer, Alpharetta 75 74 74 223
Wagner, Curtis, Peachtree City 75 74 74 223
Fugate, Walter, Macon 71 75 77 223
Hall, III, Ellsworth, Macon 74 69 80 223
10 Montgomery, Jim, Alpharetta 82 71 73 226
Jones, Amos, Atlanta 74 76 76 226
12 Cleveland, Cliff, Atlanta 74 76 78 228
McFall, Tim, Atlanta 74 75 79 228
14 Donald Jr., Peter, Dacula 77 76 76 229
15 Adams, John, Savannah 78 79 73 230
Atterberry, Fred, Alpharetta 79 75 76 230
17 Nance, Bob, Calhoun 81 76 74 231
18 Everett, Al, Cumming 73 82 77 232
19 Crisp, Claude, Jonesboro 80 78 75 233
Johnson, Boyd, Statesboro 83 76 74 233
Gunter, Arthur, Roswell 77 77 79 233
Eglen, Larry, Marietta 76 79 78 233
Otten, Frank, Duluth 73 79 81 233
24 Myers, Bill, Marietta 75 81 78 234
Estes, Joe, Atlanta 78 78 78 234
Cheatham, Barry, Hapeville 79 76 79 234
Eulenfeld, Ron, St. Simons 80 75 79 234
Lowery, Ronald, Dalton 76 76 82 234
29 Payne, Ed, Augusta 81 75 80 236
30 Pinkard Sr., Charles, Rockmart 81 73 83 237
31 Cobb Jr., Paul, Norcross 83 80 75 238
32 Harrell, Wayne, Decatur 82 73 84 239
Kinslow, Melvin, Americus 82 77 80 239
34 Thorn, Stan, Alpharetta 78 84 78 240
35 Busbee, Charlie, McDonough 82 79 80 241
Callaham, Jack, Atlanta 79 80 82 241
37 Mikel, Jim, Suwanee 79 83 81 243
38 Bentley, Dale, Calhoun 86 81 77 244
Turner, Taylor, Chamblee 84 77 83 244
Shaw, Bill, Atlanta 77 82 85 244
41 Savastano, Ron, Roswell 84 81 81 246
42 Tasioudis, George, Atlanta 82 81 84 247
Silva, Sergio, Woodstock 82 79 86 247
44 Domescik, Jerry, Atlanta 81 84 84 249
45 Boddie, Larry, Williamson 86 81 83 250
Smith, Bob, Swainsboro 85 84 81 250
47 Chaney, Robert, Atlanta 79 85 87 251
48 Browning Jr., David, Marietta 84 83 86 253
49 Howell, Billy, Bainbridge 91 82 90 263
50 Bowden Jr., B. Earl, Macon 79 79 WD WD
51 Saul, Julian, Dalton 76 83 WD WD
52 Barnes, Ed, Peachtree City 81 80 WD WD
53 Johnson, Roy, Alpharetta 84 WD WD WD
54 Chanin, Charles, Dunwoody WD WD WD WD
Cornett, Ben, Dunwoody WD WD WD WD
Hubbard, Bill, Atlanta WD WD WD WD
Greenbaum, Jerry, Atlanta WD WD WD WD