2003 Senior Four-Ball Championship

Frank Perry and Mike Jackson Win Wire-to-Wire at Georgia Senior Four-Ball

JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. - Frank Perry of Fayetteville and Mike Jackson of Martinez held off the field with a final-round 66, combining for a three-day total of 21-under 195 and a two-stroke, wire-to-wire victory at Georgia Senior Four-Ball Championship at Jekyll Island Golf Resort. Finishing tied for second at 197 after firing closing rounds of eight-under 64 were Larry Clark of Kennesaw and Mark Kirk of Marietta and Don Marsh of Alpharetta and Michael Smith of Cumming.

Defending champions Bill Ploeger of Columbus and Spencer Sappington of Alpharetta, who hold four state senior and five senior four-ball titles combined, fell to fourth with a 67 for a 198 total. Greensboro's Ronald Waeghe and John Carter, who had a tournament-low 63 in the second round, closed with a 67 to finish fifth at 199. Frank Costanzo, the 2002 Georgia Senior champion, and Thomas Rood of Savannah, who trailed Perry and Jackson by one both days after back-to-back 65s, fell off the pace with a final-round 70 and finished sixth at 200.

Perry and Jackson combined for 19 birdies, two eagles and two bogeys in their victory, with Perry playing the par 5s in 10 under, including the two eagles. Perry got the duo off to a strong start in the final round with a three-foot birdie putt on the par-four first, followed by birdies at nine and 10, where he drained putts of about 20 feet, and the par-five 11th, where he had a two-putt birdie. Jackson sealed the victory with birdies at 13 and 16, rolling in putts of 15 and 18 feet respectively.

Phil Herring of Greensboro and Jeff Morgan of Milledgeville were among three groups that tied for seventh at 201. The others were Ron Baggett and Eddie Wiggins of Warner Robins, who played out of the Championship B flight, and first-flight competitors Eddie Brown of Duluth and Joe Jillison of Ball Ground.

Perry and Jackson were making their first appearance in the Senior Four-Ball, having both turned 55 this year. Jackson and Perry, who both commented that they "partner well together," added this victory to numerous local team titles they won in the 1980s when they were both members of Augusta's Goshen Plantation.  After taking a hiatus from golf for most of the 1990s, Jackson returned to competitive play three years ago and has rapidly become one of Augusta's best senior golfers. Jackson recently earned the Regions Cup Senior Player of the Year award after winning four of nine events this year in the Augusta-based series. One of his three runner-up finishes came against Perry, who learned of the series from Jackson. Perry, a former Georgia Tech golfer, made the trip to Augusta for three more tournaments and played well enough to earn third in the Regions Cup Senior points race.

 

Other flight winners were: second - Bill Flinn of Norcross and Jim Montgomery of Alpharetta (208); third (tie) - Roy Johnson of Alpharetta and Tad Moore of LaGrange and George LaPorte and Ronnie Tatum of Peachtree City (212); fourth - Paul Hensler of Marietta and Dean Anderson of Kennesaw (212); fifth - Edward Santos and Jim Gaddy of Stone Mountain (217); and sixth - Tony Pistorio of Big Canoe and Ed Tomblin of Tucker (225).

The low 24 teams based on combined handicap index comprised the Championship flights. The remainder of the field was determined by lottery and flighted by team handicap index. Players in the Championship A and B and the first and second flights were eligible for the overall title and played the Pine Lakes Course in the first and final rounds, rotating with the other four flights, who started on the Indian Mounds course.

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

Top Ten Overall 
1 Frank Perry, Fayetteville 64 65 66 195
Mike Jackson, Martinez
2 Larry Clark, Kennesaw 67 66 64 197
Mark R. Kirk, Marietta
2 Don Marsh, Alpharetta 67 66 64 197
Michael F. Smith, Cumming
4 Bill Ploeger, Columbus 65 66 67 198
Spencer Sappington, Alpharetta
5 Ronald Waeghe, Greensboro 69 63 67 199
John M Carter, Greensboro
6 Frank Costanzo, Savannah 65 65 70 200
Thomas E Rood, Savannah
7 Phil Herring, Greensboro 66 67 68 201
Jeff Morgan, Milledgeville
7 Ron Baggett, Warner Robins 69 66 66 201
Eddie Wiggins, Warner Robins
7 Eddie Brown, Duluth 67 67 67 201
Joe Jillison, Ball Ground
10 Bill Evans, Columbus 70 67 65 202
Jimmy Coppage, Columbus
10 Paul Cobb, Norcross 65 68 69 202
Charlie Busbee, McDonough

 

Championship Flight A
1 Frank Perry, Fayetteville 64 65 66 195
Mike Jackson, Martinez
2 Larry Clark, Kennesaw 67 66 64 197
Mark R. Kirk, Marietta
2 Don Marsh, Alpharetta 67 66 64 197
Michael F. Smith, Cumming
4 Bill Ploeger, Columbus 65 66 67 198
Spencer Sappington, Alpharetta
5 Ronald Waeghe, Greensboro 69 63 67 199
John M Carter, Greensboro
6 Frank Costanzo, Savannah 65 65 70 200
Thomas E Rood, Savannah
7 Phil Herring, Greensboro 66 67 68 201
Jeff Morgan, Milledgeville
8 Mike Sprouts, Greensboro 66 68 70 204
Bob Coleman, Greensboro
9 Bill Mullen, Woodstock 68 72 68 208
George Fisher, Woodstock
10 Boyd Johnson, Statesboro 70 73 72 215
Frank Aliffi, Savannah

 

Championship Flight B
1 Ron Baggett, Warner Robins 69 66 66 201
Eddie Wiggins, Warner Robins
2 Bill Evans, Columbus 70 67 65 202
Jimmy Coppage, Columbus
2 Paul Cobb, Norcross 65 68 69 202
Charlie Busbee, McDonough
4 Joseph T. Estes, Atlanta 69 65 69 203
Amos Jones, Atlanta
5 Freddy Atterberry, Dahlonega 71 68 66 205
Gerry O Grogan, Gainesville
6 Jim Crayton, Zebulon 72 65 71 208
Joe Crayton, Peachtree City
7 Larry Eglen, Marietta 69 72 68 209
Benny Tumbleston, Atlanta
8 Tom Grace, St Mountain 73 69 70 212
Ed Moore, Conyers
8 Ron Savastano, Roswell 69 72 71 212
William Bader, Roswell
10 Scott Northey, Roswell 72 71 72 215
Robert M. Bertrand, Alpharetta
10 Arthur O Gunter, Roswell 72 72 71 215
Robert H. Mills, Macon
12 Bob Nance, Calhoun 73 72 73 218
Jeff Shultz, Calhoun

 

First Flight 
1 Eddie Brown, Duluth 67 67 67 201
Joe Jillison, Ball Ground
2 Carl Wade, Kingsland 66 68 69 203
Danny Daniels, Kingsland
3 Chris Hall, Dalton 68 68 69 205
Gary E Cole, Dalton
4 Lee Cassady, Savannah 69 69 69 207
Marc Tate, Savannah
4 Ted Vallo, Peachtree City 71 67 69 207
Charlie Edwards, Newnan
4 Wayne Harrell, Stone Mountain 68 69 70 207
Cliff Cleveland, Atlanta
7 Dan Harrison, Lithia Springs 69 71 68 208
Joe Whisenant, Douglasville
7 Thomas J. Hooks, Newnan 69 67 72 208
Bill Meagher, Newnan
7 Daniel Stewart, Alpharetta 69 67 72 208
Frank Polizzi, Eatonton
10 Andy Bargeron, Chatsworth 69 72 69 210
Walter F. Fugate, Macon
10 Mike Sikes, Acworth 68 71 71 210
Carl L Goodwin, Marietta
10 John Chesnut, Covington 72 71 67 210
Johnny Capes, Covington
13 Paul Vant Hof, Peachtree City 70 74 69 213
Gene Comfort, Fayetteville
14 William S Andrus, Savannah 72 72 72 216
Jack Munroe, Savannah

 

Second Flight
1 Bill Flinn, Norcross 70 68 70 208
Jim Montgomery, Alpharetta
2 Ronald Lowery, Dalton 68 72 69 209
Dick Hennier, Dalton
2 Gene Drew, Albany 71 67 71 209
Tommy Hall, Albany
4 Ben Cornett, Dunwoody 74 66 70 210
Les Noel, Atlanta
5 Gary Brock, Chatsworth 69 71 71 211
David Mansfield, Dalton
6 Bobby Wind, Cairo 69 71 73 213
Jim Hester, Cairo
7 Billy Howell, Bainbridge 71 71 72 214
Tracy Dixon, Bainbridge
7 Peter M. Crosby, Savannah 71 71 72 214
Steve Wilk, Savannah
9 Nick Kirkland, Snellville 73 71 71 215
Larry Askew, Lilburn
9 Chuck Strong, Alpharetta 71 73 71 215
Andy Weidener, Alphareta
11 Jim Crowley, Atlanta 69 73 75 217
John Tienker, Atlanta
12 C.J. Dodd, Adairsville 71 72 77 220
John Meadows, Calhoun

 

Third Flight
1 Roy Johnson, Alpharetta 69 73 70 212
Tad Moore, LaGrange
1 George LaPorte, Peachtree City 72 68 72 212
Ronnie Tatum, Peachtree City
3 James C. Naylor, Savannah 73 71 69 213
Bud Baker, Savannah
3 Robert P. Dutlinger, Alpharetta 71 72 70 213
Jeff Tindle, Alpharetta
3 Tom Herndon, St. Simons Island 73 69 71 213
Rabun Matthews, St. Simons Island
6 Jim Valigura, St Mary's 71 72 71 214
Jim Whaley, Woodbine
6 Ed Nelson, Savannah 72 71 71 214
Fred Laist, Savannah
8 Ron Eulenfeld, St Simons Island 73 73 72 218
Tom Burke, Peachtree City
9 Sydney B. Welch, Lagrange 72 72 76 220
Wayne Anderson, LaGrange
10 Paul T. Wise, Savannah 75 77 70 222
Bud Lucas, Savannah
10 Larry Boddie, Williamson 72 73 77 222
Asa Candler, Atlanta

 

Fourth Flight
1 Paul J Hensler, Marietta 72 71 69 212
Dean Anderson, Kennesaw
2 H.E. Strange, St Simons Isl 73 71 70 214
Frank L Quinby, St Simons Isl
3 J.R. Nichols, Smyrna 72 71 72 215
Ed Crump, Hartwell
4 Roland Sorel, Dunwoody 75 70 71 216
Larry Grant, Buford
4 Dave Benton, Conyers 74 70 72 216
Doug Southern, Conyers
6 Jim Carter, Snellville 75 70 72 217
Rick Wagner, Snellville
6 Garry Briddon, Duluth 72 74 71 217
Bruce C. Swinsky, Dunwoody
8 John T. McGourty, Woodstock 77 73 72 222
Richard Dubiel, Acworth 73 72 222
8 Donnie Whittle, Cordele 76 72 74 222
George Pass, Cordele
10 Dale Dover, Camilla 77 73 73 223
Leonard DeLamar, Albany
11 Mike Ambrose, St Mary's 72 74 78 224
Jim Hester, St. Mary's
12 Phil E. Colston Sr, Peachtree City 79 74 77 230
Paul R. Murphy, Fayetteville

 

Fifth Flight
1 Edward P Santos, Stone Mountain 72 74 71 217
Jim Gaddy, Stone Mountain
2 Bob Flynn, Kennesaw 74 72 72 218
Don Gardner, Kennesaw
2 Sam V Smith, Macon 73 73 72 218
Jim H Brown, Evans
4 Joe B Hamilton, Jonesboro 74 71 77 222
Cecil Adams, Griffin
5 Fred W. Lindstrom, Peachtree City 77 75 75 227
Jack Wilson, Peachtree City
5 Gary Bross, Savannah 78 74 75 227
Bill Watt, Savannah
7 Robert Mathis, Atlanta 71 76 81 228
William Norwood, Atlanta
7 Bobby Johnson, Snellville 74 76 78 228
Geoff Gorman, Loganville
9 Royce LeVaughn, Newnan 78 76 77 231
Pete Fleming, Newnan
10 Robert M Davis, Cordele 77 75 81 233
Fred Brown, Cordele
11 John Somers, Atlanta 84 78 79 241
David Mode, Roswell
12 Charles Griffin, Fayetteville 84 81 78 243
John Sellers, Forest Park

 

Sixth Flight
1 Tony E Pistorio, Big Canoe 76 73 76 225
Ed Tomblin, Tucker
2 Don Schrum, Oakwood 75 74 78 227
Carl Alexander, Braselton
3 James R Lowell, Newnan 74 78 76 228
Charlie Shurley, Newnan
4 Gerald Keller, Kennesaw 75 76 79 230
Larry W. Abbott, Kennesaw
4 Jerry Chastain, Jasper 76 77 77 230
John D Chastain, Jasper
6 Bill Durham, Dalton 80 76 76 232
Ron Durham, Cohutta
6 Bob Foley, Kennesaw 81 77 74 232
Stanley C Bishop, Marietta
6 Bill Taylor, Covington 75 77 80 232
Ted Wood, Covington
9 Lloyd Penland, Gainesville 80 78 81 239
Frank House, Gillsville
9 W. Kent Campbell, Covington 82 79 78 239
Jerry B. Gafford, Covington
11 Roger Cordes, Decatur 81 82 83 246
Ron Cebulski, Snellville
12 Buddy Reeves, Kennesaw 90 83 85 258
Lynn O'Neill, St. Simons Island
13 Alan Katz, Marietta 89 86 89 264
Robert L. Henning, Roswell