Tom & Jimmy Grem Win 76th Annual Father-Son Championship
Tom Grem said it was all in the golf shirt.
Two weeks ago, Tom and son Doug, 19, a Towson University sophomore, won the Middle Atlantic Golf Association’s Father-Son championship at Kenwood Golf & Country Club, shooting 4-under-par 66 and surviving a five-way playoff on the second extra hole. Doug was wearing a shirt with a Whistling Straits logo.
Fast forward to July 21. Tom and older son Jimmy, 21, a Towson senior and captain of the golf team, won the Maryland State Golf Association’s 76th Father-Son title by a stroke with a 3-under 69 at Towson Golf & CC. Jimmy was wearing the Whistling Straits shirt.
There were other factors involved. Both are scratch players, with Jimmy, who works at Towson Golf and plays a lot during the school year as the course is Towson’s home field, is a plus-1. In the selected-drive, alternate-shot format the pair finished with four birdies, one bogey. The course, which overlooks Loch Raven Reservoir, was played at 6,472 yards to a par of 36-36–72.
Jimmy is known for his 300-yard drives and he hit his best shot at the 480-yard uphill ninth, leaving Tom a 6-iron shot to the green [“I never hit a 6-iron there before”] and Jimmy converted the birdie. He also had a 12-foot putt for birdie at 11 and at the 523-yard 12th, Tom hit the second shot to the back edge of the green and Jimmy rolled it down to “gimme” range.
“It’s always a great joy when your children do well, but in this format, there is no more pressure than playing with your son, especially one who hits such good shots,” Tom added.
Two-time champions Rick and Andrew Sovero had two front-nine birdies for 34-36–70, while Garrett and Teagan Stephenson, second last year, got to 4 under par before slipping back with bogeys at 17-18 to share second with 35-35–70 in the 42-team field.
Bob (9 handicap) and Slater (17) Greenwell, from the host club, had four birdies, played the last seven holes even and posted 77-10-67 to earn low net. Mike-Joseph Hudak finished second, 72-4-68.
Reported by: John Stewart
