Vizina Is T29 at Sr. PGA Pro Championship, Headed to Sr. PGA Championship; Berry (T35) Is 4th Alternate

 
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Bob Sowards made the most of his first appearance in the Senior PGA Professional (Club Pro) Championship. The 50-year-old teaching pro from Dublin, Ohio, holed a bunker shot on Sunday for an eagle 3 at the 16th hole in the final round, and that gave him the lead. He parred out from there for a two-shot victory, which was worth $21,500.

In 2004, Sowards won the PGA Professional Championship. He is only the second player to win that and the Senior Championship. Steve Schneiter of Sandy Utah became the first when he won the senior crown in 2016. 

Sowards closed with an even-par 72 in windy conditions at the PGA Golf Club's Wanamaker Course. His 72 hole total was 275 (13 under). 

Walter Chapman shot the low round of the day on Sunday, a 69, and that lifted him into a tie for second place at 277, along with Omar Uresti. 

There was also a tournament within the tournament. The top 35 finishers in this event qualified for the Senior PGA  next May at Oak Hill CC in Rochester, N.Y. One Minnesotan, Thomas Vizina, guaranteed himself a place in the field there by tying for 29th. The pro at Oaks CC in Hayfield shot a pair of 71's before turning in a 72 on Saturday and finishing with a 74 on Sunday, for an aggregate of 289.   

Don Berry, the 16-time Minnesota Section PGA player of the year, tied for 35th, which got him into an eight-man playoff for the last spot in the Senior PGA. He wound up being the fourth alternate. That might not sound all that promising, but in recent years the top four alternates have consistently gotten into the Senior PGA. 


30^TH SENIOR PGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
PGA GOLF CLUB
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLA.
 
WANAMAKER COURSE
6,694 YARDS, PAR 72
 
RYDER COURSE
6,765 YARDS, PAR 72
 
 
SUNDAY’S FINAL RESULTS
1. Bob Sowards, Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club, 64-68-71-72—275
T2. Walt Chapman, Fairways and Greens Golf Center, 70-71-67-69—277
T2. Omar Uresti, Southern Texas Section, 64-69-70-74—277
4. Mike San Filippo, South Florida Section, 67-68-72-71—278
T5. Brad Lardon, Club at Las Campanas, 72-68-67-72—279 
T5. Dan Olsen, Quail Creek CC, 64-67-72-76—279
T7. Frank Esposito, Forsgate CC, 69-72-69-70—280
T7. Jeffrey Schmid, Brown Deer Golf Club, 70-69-70-71—280
T9. Rob Moss, Pepper Pike Club, 71-66-73-72—282
T9. Gene Fieger, Club Pelican Bay, 71-71-66-74—282
 
T29. THOMAS VIZINA, THE OAKS GC, 71-71-72-75—289**
T35. DON BERRY, EDINBURGH USA, 68-72-76-74—290**
T66. BILL ISRAELSON, VINTAGE GC, 71-74-74-76—295
T71. MIKE BARGE, HAZELTINE NAT’L GC, 68-77-73-79—297
MC. DAVID PODAS, BEL-AIR CC, 72-69-83—224 (missed final-round cut)
MC. STEVE FESSLER, MEDINA G&CC, 73-79—152 (missed 54-hole cut)
MC. PETER KRAUSE, WISCONSIN CLUB, 74-79—153 (missed 54-hole cut)
MC. DALE JONES, MENDAKOTA CC, 80-74—154 (missed 54-hole cut)
MC, JAY NORMAN, TPC TWIN CITIES, 77-79—156 (missed 54-hole cut)
 
** - Qualifies for 2019 Senior PGA Championship
 
 
For complete tournament results go to:  https://public.pgascore.net/leaderboards/lobby.cfm?eventid=5224