The LoHud Golf Blog

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.

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.

PGA of America, Senior-Junior Championship
at PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Third-round leaders
194 – Sonny Skinner, Sylvester, Ga., and Robert McClellan, Butler, Pa., 65-64-65.
195 – Mark Faulkner, Marion, Ill., and Rick Schuller, Chester, Va., 64-62-69. Bud Lintelman, Purcellville, Va., and John O’Leary, Reston, Va., 68-66-61.
196 – Peter Serafimoff, Millbrook, N.Y., and Jeff Sorenson, Blaine, Minn., 62-65-69.
197 – Dave Laudien, Wall, N.J., and Mike Laudien, Stony Point, N.Y., 64-65-68. Gary Trivisonno, Aurora, Ohio, and Dwayne Randall, Findley Lake, N.Y., 64-66-67.
198 – Robert Thompson, Huntsville, Texas, and Bruce Smith, Frisco, Texas, 67-69-62. Pete Oakley, Palm City, Fla., and Ryan Kalista, Old Greenwich, Conn., 69-64-65. Gary Ostrega, Westfield, N.J., and Tom Sipula, Freeburg, Ill., 65-66-67. John Traub, Detroit, and Brian Cairns, Walled Lake, Mich., 69-62-67.
199 – Kevin Morris, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and Frank Bensel, Jupiter, Fla., 68-66-65. J.C. Anderson, O’Fallon, Mo., and Ryan Helminen, Appleton, Wis., 70-64-65. Mitch Thomas, Roseville, Calif., and Jerrel Grow, Carmichael, Calif., 68-66-65. Quinn Griffing, Fort Wayne, Ind., and Rod Perry, Port Orange, Fla., 66-69-64.

The first significant flakes of a new year seem destined to fall, but spring is just around the corner. We hope. The dates for The Journal News Golf Show, which is presented in cooperation with the Westchester County parks department and the Metropolitan Golf Association, are set.

And you don’t have to call ahead for a tee time.

The Journal News Golf Show will be held March 10-11 at the Westchester County Center. It runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and will feature major equipment manufacturers debuting their new product lines, free 10-minute lessons with local PGA professionals, a special women’s learning area, the popular discount pro shop and hourly group instruction on the MGA stage.

Exhibitors from golf courses, driving ranges and travel destinations will also be on hand. There will be hourly prize giveaways along with a putting contest. Exhibitors seeking more information should contact John Zanzarella at 914-945-0480.

PGA of America, Senior-Junior Championship
at PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Second-round leaders
126 – Mark Faulkner, Marion, Ill., and Rick Schuller, Chester, Va., 64-62.
127 – Peter Serafimoff, Millbrook, N.Y., and Jeff Sorenson, Blaine, Minn., 62-65.
129 – Sonny Skinner, Sylvester, Ga., and Robert McClellan, Butler, Pa., 65-64. Dave Laudien, Wall, N.J., and Mike Laudien, Stony Point, N.Y., 64-65.
130 – Gary Trivisono, Aurora, Ohio, and Dwayne Randall, Findley Lake, N.Y., 64-66. Chris Dachisen, Warren, N.J., and Frank Esposito, Florham, N.J., 67-63.
131 – John Traub, Detroit, and Brian Cairns, Walled Lake, Mich., 69-62. Denny Dolci, Sharon, Pa., and Kevin Shields, Pittsburgh, 66-65. Larry King, Trenton, Ohio, and Bob Sowards, Dublin, Ohio, 65-66. Gary Ostrega, Westfield, N.J., and Tom Sipula, Freeburg, Ill., 65-66. Craig Stevens, Dallas, Ga., and Alan Morin, Lake Worth, 66-65. Robert Moreland, Ottumwa, Iowa, and Chad Proehl, Urbandale, Ill., 66-65.

Registration for the upcoming Metropolitan Golf Association championships is now open. Go to mgagolf.org for information and procedures to gain entry to any of the many tournaments on the schedule.

Here are some of the highlights for 2012:

• The 97th Met Open Championship sponsored by MetLife at Plainfield Country Club in Edison, N.J., August 21-23


• The 57th Ike Championship presented by Canon Business Solutions at Atlantic Golf Club in Bridgehampton, June 25-26


• The 95th Met Junior Championship sponsored by MetLife at Nissequogue Country Club in St. James, July 17-19


• The 85th MGA Senior Amateur Championship at Metedeconk National Golf Club in Jackson, N.J., May 7-8


• The 65th MGA/MetLife Public Links Championship at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, July 12


• The 16th MGA Senior Open Championship at Garden City Country Club in Garden City, August 27- 28


• The Inaugural MGA Masters Tournament at the Country Club of Fairfield in Fairfield Conn., September 20


• The 6th MGA Mid-Amateur Championship at the Meadow Brook Club in Jericho, October 2-3

PGA of America, Senior-Junior Championship
PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Round 1
(senior listed first)

62 – Peter Serafimoff, Millbrook, N.Y., and Jeff Sorenson, Blaine, Minn., 31-31®.

64 – Ron Dunham, Jackson Hole, Wyo., and Lou Kudisa, East Windsor, N.J., 35-29®. Mark Faulkner, Marion, Ill., and Rick Schuller, Chester, Va., 31-33 (D). Dave Laudien, Wall, N.J., and Mike Laudien, Stony Point, N.Y., 31-33 (W). Sonny Skinner, Sylvester, Ga., and Robert McClellan, Butler, Pa., 34-31 (D). Gary Trivisonno, Aurora, Ohio, and Dwayne Randall, Findley Lake, N.Y., 33-31®.

65 – Mike Caporale, Manhasset, N.Y., and Scott Ford, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., 35-30®. David Carich and Bradley Mays, Noblesville, Ind., 32-33®. Larry King, Trenton, Ohio, and Bob Sowards, Dublin, Ohio, 33-32 (D). Jack McConachie, Plainville, N.J., and Mike Martin New Haven, Conn., 30-35®. Gary Ostrega, Westfield, N.J., and Tom Sipula, Freeburg, Ill., 33-32 (D). Jim Sheerin, Rye Beach, N.H., and Michael Menery, Andover, Mass., 33-32®. Daniel Tzivanis, Greenwich, Conn., and Craig Thomas, White Plains, N.Y., 33-32®.

D-Dye course, R-Ryder course, and W-Wanamaker course.

As rough start had Nicole Morales playing up hill for the final two rounds of the Annika Invitational, which concluded yesterday at Reunion (Fla.) Resort. The South Salem resident opened with an 80, but regrouped and finished in a tie for 34th place with a 13-over total of 229. California native Alison Lee, who’s given a verbal commitment to UCLA, won the AJGA invitational by four strokes with a 3-under total of 213. Morales rolled in seven birdies over the course of three rounds, but was undone by three doubles and one triple.

Click here for complete results.

He’s grown a mustache, dropped some baby fat and now Johnson Wagner has two victories since coming back to Old Oaks head pro Bobby Heins a couple of years ago. The former Garrison resident posted a two-shot win at the Sony Open, and finally secured another Masters appearance.

Two weeks into the season, he’s already check off a couple of goals set in the preseason.

A couple of links …

Johnson Wagner rallies to win Sony Open USAToday.com

‘Stached Wagner fulfills preseason proclamation PGATOUR.com

Backspin: Johnson’s work pays off; mailbag; more PGATOUR.com

(Photo: Associated Press)

The Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship is moving on following a one-year stopover at Westchester Country Club.

Fox Chapel Golf Club outside Pittsburgh will be the new home of the Champions Tour major, which is scheduled to be played June 28-July 1. Fred Couples defeated John Cook in a dramatic sudden-death playoff at W.C.C. last August to capture the Senior Players title.

The event spent four years in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. market  before moving.
Constellation Energy’s original title sponsorship deal expired this year. Tour officials discussed rotating the Senior Players Championship among four local clubs, but were not committing to anything until a new sponsorship deal was in place.

The snow is gone and we seem to have a few good days left on the calendar, so this might be a good time for a visit to Pound Ridge Golf Club. The offseason rates are down to $150 for all tee times before 2 p.m.

It’s a relative bargain for a Pete Dye experience.

You can get on the course after 2 p.m. for $100. The discounts are in effect seven days a week until Dec. 31. All rates include a golf cart or pull cart, Pound Ridge yardage book, bottled water, player’s towel and complimentary use of the driving range, newly-designed sunken chipping area and other practice facilities.

For information, visit www.PoundRidgeGolf.com or call 914-764-5771.