2013 Senior Match Play Championship

 

Hall Wins Georgia Senior Match Play Championship
Senior Wins in First Year of Eligibility 

 

GSGA Player of the Year standings

 

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Chris Hall of Kennesaw outlasted Don Marsh of Johns Creek in the final match to capture the second annual Georgia Senior Match Play Championship, 2 and 1, which took place at White Columns Country Club, May 8-11. Hall, the 3-seed, won his first GSGA senior competition since turning 55 and becoming eligible.

To start the final match, Hall went 1 up through two holes, 2 up through four holes, then 3 up through six holes before giving one back to Marsh on hole seven. Hall regained a 3 up advantage as the pair made the turn. Hall would extend his all the way to 4 up through 12 holes played, but Marsh then took the next two holes (13 and 14), bringing Hall's lead back down to 2 up with four to play where it remained.

Hall's run through the field began with him tying for second after the 36-hole stroke play qualifier to secure the 3-seed in match play at 3-under-par 141 (69-72). The 55-year-old then advanced through the match play bracket with wins over the 14-seed, John Davis of Atlanta, 2 and 1, in the round of 16; the 6-seed, Ron Hunter of Jasper, 3 and 2, in the quarterfinals; the 2-seed, Mel Mendenhall of Marietta, 5 and 4, in the semifinals; then secured the victory with his win over Marsh in the finals Saturday afternoon, 2 and 1.

Marsh, the runner-up of this second annual event and reigning Georgia Super Senior champion, reached the finals with wins over the top-seed Mike Wylie of Roswell, 6 and 4, 8-seed Lee Dennis of Comer, 2 and 1, and 4-seed Jim Kamis of Marietta, 6 and 5.

At the conclusion of the 36-hole stroke play qualifier to determine seeds for match play, the low 16 players advanced. Those players who advanced to match play, in order of their seeds, were as follows: Mike Wylie of Roswell (top-seed), Mel Mendenhall of Marietta (2-seed), Chris Hall of Kennesaw (3-seed), Jim Kamis of Marietta (4-seed), Joe Whisenant of Douglasville (5-seed), Ron Hunter of Jasper (6-seed), John Cochran III of Duluth (7-seed), Lee Dennis of Comer (8-seed), Rich Grote of Kennesaw (9-seed), Bill Leonard of Dallas (10-seed), Jack Kearney of Peachtree City (11-seed), John Landis of Peachtree City (12-seed), Jim Heard of Roswell (13-seed), John Davis of Atlanta (14-seed), 2012 Georgia Senior Match Play champion Walter Hole of Gainesville (15-seed), and Don Marsh of Johns Creek (16-seed).

Entries were open to male amateur golfers age 55 or older as of May 8. The format of the second annual Georgia Senior Match Play Championship was match play preceded by 36-hole stroke play qualifying. The low 16 players advanced to match play.