John Howson could hardly stand the wait as he looked forward to a 55th birthday and full tournament playing golf in the Senior division. From 50-54 (2009-2013) he made the best of it by winning three Maryland State Senior Opens (age requirement is 50) and qualifying for a U.S. Senior Open.
Last year, he declared he would finally get a chance to win the 2014 Maryland State Seniors, which has an age requirement of 55. That birthday arrived for the Sparks resident last March and on September 9, he backed up his optimism when he recorded record 18-hole and 36-hole scores in breezing to victory in the 86th Senior Amateur championship of the Maryland State Golf Association at Musket Ridge Golf Club in Myersville, September 8-9.
Howson, who plays from Pine Ridge Golf Course, registered 68-65–133, and won by seven shots. Two-time winner Mike Occi. a Hobbit’s Glen GC member, who has been either first or second each year since becoming eligible in 2009, posted 70-70–140, followed by John Vollmer, Manor CC, 73-70–143. Marty West, a two-time championship winner, collected the Super Senior (65-over) title for the second time since becoming eligible last year with 70-72–142.
The 7-under-par 65 bettered the previous record of 67, shared by Occi and West, and the 133 eclipsed the former standard of 139 shared by several players. The Frederick County course was played at 6,487 yards to a par of 72. That was the case the first day, but the tee at No. 11 was advanced about 100 yards for a distance of 242 yards the second day.
Howson took advantage of this change when he struck a 3-wood shot to a foot and tapped in for an eagle-2. He also checked in with six birdies and one three-putt bogey for his 65. The birdies were vintage Howson as he dropped a putt from 12 feet, holed a six-footer to complete an up-and-down out of a bunker, and a “pitch-and-putt” at the par-5 ninth to turn in 34. Coming home, he reach the par-5 10th green in two and two-putted and followed the eagle with birdies at the 13th (7-iron to eight feet at the 163-yard test) and 15th (three feet). For the round, he hit every fairway and took 29 putts.
“I’ve really been busy at work [at DeWalt cordless power tools where he is vice-president of engineering with a responsibility for some 600 workers],” he said, “but recently I felt like my game was coming back.” Actually, it hadn’t gone far, but simply was not up to his high standards of dedicated play.
Occi, who had five birdies in dipping 2 under par in the opening round, had an eagle, three birdies and three bogeys in a 35-35 effort. At the 491-yard sixth, the Clarksville resident hit the green with a 3-wood second shot to 25 feet and rolled in the putt for his eagle.
West, who had birdies on three of the four par-5’s in the first round, birdied two of them (10 and 12) the second time around, but they were sandwiched around a double-bogey to account for his even-par round.
From a starting field of 74, 25 players at 77 and better played two rounds. In 2015, this event is scheduled for September 15-16 at Lakewood CC.
-Reported by John Stewart from Musket Ridge GC
