SENIOR TOUR ABSENCE MAKES HEART GROW FONDER FOR SUMMERFIELD'S LAMBERT
Posted: 10/15/2010 5:33:18 PM
Pinehurst, NC (October 14, 2010) - Steve Lambert hadn't fired a shot in competition during the entire 2010 season on the Senior Amateur Golf Tour. A Tour member for years, responsibilities at work had kept him away from the action until today at Longleaf Golf Club. Despite his absence, Lambert returned to Tour play in mid-season form as his 1-under 71 was good enough to nip Pinehurst's Chuck Taubersmith by a single stroke to claim the top spot in the Championship Flight.
Lambert posted a bogey-free front side of 33 which included 3 birdies. Both players were even coming into the 165-yard, par 3, 15th hole, and while both experienced problems there, Lambert escaped with a bogey and a one stroke lead over Taubersmith which proved to be the eventual margin of victory.
In the A Flight, Laurinburg's James McMillan continued his torrid play of late with a 72 that gave him a 3-shot cushion over 3 golfers - William Hiner of Pinehurst, Sonny Rose of Rockingham, and Zebulon's Randy Bunn. McMillan got off to a rough start, bogeying his first three holes, but managed to post a few "birds" to even things out at the end.
"Although we wound up playing 15 holes in perfect weather, it was raining when we started play", stated Tour Director Bruce Hallenbeck, "that may have somewhat accounted for James' rocky start. He's a Tour veteran, enjoying the best run of his Tour career - the last month or so he's been totally 'in the zone' ".
Another player who has "upped" his Tour play over the latter part of the season is Knightdale's Mike Johnson. Johnson walked away with another B Flight win as his 77 edged Hamlet's James Herndon by one stroke and Southern Pine's James Dockery by two. "Johnson's a factor every time he tees it up" noted Hallenbeck.
As in the Championship and B Flights, the C Flight winner took the crown by only one shot. Whitsett's Earl Roe shot an 86 and edged a trio of golfers - John Henely of Pinehurst, Kernersville's Richard Payne, and James Howard of Wake Forest.
"Close competition, weather that turned beautiful and a great course add up to a typical Tour experience and another fun day on The Senior Tour", stated Hallenbeck after handing out the last of the event prizes.
THE SENIOR AMATEUR GOLF TOUR
LONGLEAF GOLF CLUB EVENT
TOP FIVE SCORES BY FLIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP (6,098 yards)
Steve Lambert, Summerfield 71
Chuck Taubersmith, Pinehurst 72
Mike Smith, Lewisville 76
Ken Eichele, Pinehurst 76
Tony Griffin, Cary 77
A FLIGHT (6,098 yards)
James McMillan, Laurinburg 72
William Hiner, Pinehurst 75
Sonny Rose, Rockingham 75
Randy Bunn, Zebulon 75
Robin Neverve, Laurinburg 77
Jon Blossom, Fayetteville 77
Ron Caulder, N Myrtle Beach, SC 77
B FLIGHT (6,098 yards)
Mike Johnson, Knightdale 77
James Herndon, Hamlet 78
James Dockery, Southern Pines 79
Tom Handy, Fuquay-Varina 80
Twig Avent, Durham 80
Neil Bleau, Durham 80
Billy Lunsford, Sanford 80
C FLIGHT (6,098 yards)
Earl Roe, Whitsett 86
John Henely, Pinehurst 87
Richard Payne, Kernersville 87
James Howard, Wake Forest 87
Gary Ransom, Apex 88
Elby Hatfield, Archdale 88