The Maryland Senior Amateur was held Monday-Tuesday, September 18-19, at the War Admiral Course at GlenRiddle Golf Club in Berlin, MD. This was the first time the Eastern Shore member club hosted an MSGA championship. The Championship Division played from 6,450 yards, while the Super-Senior and Net Divisions played from 5,659 yards.
The 95th edition of the storied championship saw Tucker Sampson claim his first MSGA victory while Jim Castagna successfully defended his Super-Senior title.
Monday’s round was held under drizzly, cloudy skies, and players took full advantage of the calmer conditions. In the Championship Division, Sampson, playing out of Manor CC, got off to a quick start with birdies on Nos. 2 and 3 and followed it up with another birdie on No. 6. The only blemish on the front nine was a bogey on the par 4, No. 8. Keeping his momentum, got his round to 5-under-par with birdies on Nos. 12, 14, and 16. Bogeys on the final two holes left him one shot ahead of the field with a 3-under-par 69. 2022 Maryland Senior Player of the Year, Vance Welch, finished the day one shot behind Sampson. The Hobbit’s Glen GC member fired a round of 2-under-par, 70 that featured five birdies and three bogeys. Rounding out the top 3 after Round One was Lee Flemister, whose round of 1-under-par 71 featured a blemish-free back nine.
In the Super-Senior Division, Castagna, who also plays out of Manor CC, kept the ship steady with a lone bogey on the No. 8, par 4, to turn at 1-over-par. He kicked it into gear on the back nine with a birdie on No. 14 and the incredibly challenging No. 18. Close behind, after Round One, were Paul Bernstorf of Eagle’s Nest CC and Gregory Ruark and Tad Jacks, who both play out of Mount Pleasant GC. All three players finished their days at even-par, 72 to stay within one shot of Castagna.
The first day of play also featured a Net competition for the Senior and Super-Senior Divisions. MSGA eClub member, David Corbin fired a 4-under-par, 68 to capture the Senior Net Division. His round included 13 pars and a natural birdie on No. 12. In the Super-Senior Net Division, University of Maryland GC’s Matt Neitzey put on a show with his 4-under-par. His round featured two birdies, one of which was good for a net eagle.
Tuesday became a battle between the final pairing of Sampson, Welch, and Flemister. Sampson struck the first blow with a birdie on No. 1, but his lead was cut to one on the following hole after he recorded a bogey while Flemister made a birdie. Birdies by Welch and Flemister on No. 3 tied the trio up at 3-under-par for the tournament. They remained deadlocked until No. 6, when Sampson faltered with a bogey. Flemister’s bogeys on Nos. 7 & 9 left Sampson and Welch tied at the turn. The back nine, however, provided a different story. Birdies on Nos. 10 and 11 propelled Sampson back up the leaderboard, and he never looked back. A birdie on No. 16 all but sealed his victory while Flemister and Welch battled for runner-up honors. Flemister ultimately moved to finish one shot ahead of Welch with a birdie on No. 18.
It was a different story in the Super-Senior Division; Castagna kept his lead to two after making the turn at 1-under-par. However, Bernsdorf had different ideas heading to the back nine. The two became tied after No. 13 when Bernsdorf recorded his second birdie on the back nine, but a bogey on No. 14 gave Castagna the lead right back. A similar situation came into play on Nos. 16 & 17 when Bernsdorf went birdie, bogey to Castagna’s two pars. Bernsdorf’s birdie on No. 18 forced a playoff, and the two players headed to No. 10. Castagna hit the green and was left with 15-feet for birdie while Bernsdorf took a little too much club and left his tee shot over the green. His chip rolled past the hole and left him 8-feet for his par. Castagna was able to two-putt and put the pressure on Bernsdorf to make par and force another playoff hole. Bernsdorf could not sink his putt, and Castagna took home his third Super-Senior victory in 4 years.
