Morris and Bensel team up for comeback win at PGA Senior-Junior Championship
From the good folks at the PGA of America:
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Frank Bensel of Jupiter birdied five of his first six holes Thursday enroute to an unprecedented third victory in partnership with Kevin Morris of Palm Beach Gardens in the PGA Senior-Junior Championship.
Playing the Ryder Course at The PGA Golf Club, Bensel and Morris finished the day at 11 under par 61 in the four-ball stroke play format and 28 under 260 on three courses over four days to win by a stroke.
“We knew it was a course where you could go low,” said Morris, 60, who retired four years ago after 30 years at Westchester Hills Golf Club in White Plains, N.Y. “You just have to keep playing hard all day.” Morris birdied the last two holes as they made up five strokes the final round, finishing nearly an hour ahead of the leaders.
Sonny Skinner of Sylvester, Ga., and Robert McClellan of Butler, Pa., the third round leaders, were a stroke back in second on 67-261. Despite making four birdies on the inward nine, three by McClellan, both players made costly bogeys the par-5 17th hole.
Morris and Bensel previously won the Senior-Junior in 2006 and 2008. Prior to 2005, teams were formed by the PGA tournament committee, either via qualifying or by draw. Bensel, 43, who works the winter season at Breakers West near West Palm Beach, is a summertime assistant at Century Country Club in Purchase, N.Y. He was initially introduced to golf in Morris’ junior programs more than 30 years ago.
Now somebody has to let Bensel know it’s never good when a story mentions you were introduced to golf in a junior program more than 30 years ago. Still, not a gray hair in sight!
PGA of America
54th annual Senior-Junior Championship
at PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Final-round leaders senior listed first):
260 – Kevin Morris, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and Frank Bensel, Jupiter, Fla., 68-66-65-61. $10,000 (team).
261 – Sonny Skinner, Sylvester, Ga., and Robert McClellan, Butler, Pa., 65-64-65-67. $8,000.
262 – J.C. Anderson, O’Fallon, Mo., and Ryan Helminen, Appleton, Wis., 70-64-65-63. Gary Trivisonno, Aurora, Ohio, and Dwayne Randall, Findley Lake, N.Y., 64-66-67-65. $5,700.
263 – Robert Thompson, Huntsville, Texas, and Bruce Smith, Frisco, Texas, 67-69-62-65. Mark Faulkner, Marion Ill., and Rick Schuller, Chester, Va., 64-62-69-68. $4,400.
264 – Dave Laudien, Wall, N.J., and Mike Laudien, Stony Point, N.Y., 64-65-67-67. Peter Serafimoff, Millbrook, N.Y., and Jeff Sorenson, Blaine, Minn., 62-65-69-68. $3,600.
265 – Larry King, Trenton, Ohio, and Bob Sowards, Dublin, Ohio, 65-66-71-63. Rick Lewallen, Kannapolis, N.C., and Jim Hackenberg, Easley, S.C., 69-65-68-64. $3,100.







