NEWS

Robert Thompson, Bruce Smith Capture PGA Senior-Junior Team Championship

By PGA of America
Published on

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Texans Robert Thompson and Bruce Smith got off to a fast start Wednesday (Jan. 19)and held on to win the 53rd annual PGA Senior-Junior Team Championship Presented by Premier Golf and United Rentals at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

A front-nine better ball score of seven-under par 29 led to a final round of 64 on the Ryder Course and a 33 under 255. Still, they only won by a shot as Dennis Winters of Bishopville, Md., and Rick Schuler of Chester, Va., were second at 63-256.

"We played better on the front nine than we had been," said Smith, 44, PGA director of instruction at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas. "We only made two birdies on the front Sunday," enroute to a 63, "three Monday (a 65) and three Tuesday (another 63)."

Smith birdied the second and third holes, both birdied the fifth and seventh; Thompson the sixth, eighth and ninth. Thompson made their only birdie on the back nine, a 15 footer from the edge at the par-3 16th with Smith's tee shot just three feet from the cup.

They did not make a bogey in 72 holes. "That was huge," Smith said, especially since Winters and Schuller had one, when both three-putted the par-4 15th hole on Tuesday. "It's a thrill to win a national championship for the first time," Smith added.

Thompson, 54, PGA teaching professional at Whispering Pines Country Club in Huntsville, won the Senior PGA Professional Championship in October. He will be conditionally exempt on the Champions Tour this year. He was fully exempt in 2009.

PGA of America Winter Championships
Senior-Junior Team Championship
Ryder Course, Par 72: seniors, 6,585 yards; juniors, 6,985 yards
(leaders - seniors 50 years and older listed first)

255 – Robert Thompson, Huntsville, Texas, and Bruce Smith, Lewisville, Texas, 63-65-63-64. $10,000 (team)
256 – Dennis Winters, Bishopville, Md., and Rick Schuller, Chester, Va., 61-63-69-63. $8,000
257 – Don Reese, Defuniak Springs, Fla., and Gary Rusnak, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., 61-67-65-64. $5,000
257 - George Glenn, Tulsa, Okla., and Tim Graves, Oklahoma City, Okla., 68-63-61-65. $5,000
258 – Darrell Kester, Glen Cove, N.Y., and Matt Dobyns, Manhasset, N.Y., 64-66-67-61. $2,810
258 - Gary Robison, Canton, Ohio, and Dennis Miller, Canfield, Ohio, 63-65-65-65. $2,810
259 – Peter Serafimoff, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., and Jeff Sorenson, Blaine, Minn., 68-65-61-65. $2,250
260 – Gary Trivisonno, Aurora, Ohio, and Dwayne Randall, Findley Lake, N.Y., 64-64-69-63. $1,910
260 - Ed Sabo, Tequesta, Fla., and Vince Ramagli, Mount Laurel, N.J., 65-65-64-66. $1,910
260 - John Deforest, Accord, N.Y., and Craig Stevens, Dallas, Ga., 64-71-65-60. $1,910
260 - Rob Phelps, Fayetteville, N.Y., and Jeff Reader, East Syracuse, N.Y., 64-66-64-66. $1,910
261 – Sonny Skinner, Sylvester, Ga., and Brett Melton, Washington, Ind., 67-67-65-62. $1,577.50
261 - Dick Von Tacky, Kiawah Island, S.C., and Tony Traci, Pittsburgh, Pa., 62-66-67-66. $1,577.50
261 - Dave Laudien, Wall, N.J., and Keith Grassing, Somerville, N.J., 62-63-70-66. $1,577.50
261 - Quinn Griffing, Fort Wayne, Ind., and Bob Sowards, Dublin, Ohio, 61-68-65-67. $1,577.50
262 – Scott Cruiel, Cumming, Ga., and Tim Weinhart, Alpharetta, Ga., 69-65-66-62. $1,368
262 - Mark Faulkner, Marion, Ill., and Nash Haxel, St. Louis, Mo., 65-66-65-66. $1,368
262 - Michael Zaremba, Pueblo West, Colo., and Micah Rudosky, Cortez, Colo., 65-65-66-66. $1,368
262 - Mo Guttman, Sarasota, Fla., and James Burke, Newton, Mass., 64-64-68-66. $1,368
262 - Brad Rollinson, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and Brian Varsey, Willoughby, Ohio, 67-64-63-68. $1,368
263 – Robert Linville and Simon McGreal, Greensboro, N.C., 66-68-65-64. $1,210
263 – Jim Sheerin, Rye Beach, and Michael Menery, Andover, Mass., 66-68-65-64. $1,210
263 – Jerry Tucker, Stuart, Fla., and Michael Tucker, St. Louis, Mo., 67-67-64-65. $1,210
263 – Bob Gaus, Orlando, Fla., and J.C. Anderson, O’Fallon, Mo., 67-63-67-66. $1,210
263 – Fran Marrello, Plymouth, Conn., and Brian Keiser, Avon, Conn. 63-62-71-67. $1,210
264 – Roy Vucinich, Moon Township, Pa., and John Aber, Pittsburgh, Pa., 67-65-68-64. $1,100
264 - Rick Sargent, Kissimmee, Fla., and Dirk Schultz, Hagerstown, Md., 66-67-65-66. $1,100
264 - Mike Parrish, Madison, Ala., and Kevin Savage, Melbourne, Fla., 65-67-66-66. $1,100
265 – Chris Dachisen, Wayne, N.J., and Frank Esposito, Florham Park, N.J., 64-66-70-65. $1,040
265 - Kevin Morris, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and Frank Bensel, Purchase, N.J., 68-65-66-66. $1,040
265 - Gary Ostrega, Westfield, N.J., and Jeff Seavey, Homosassa, Fla., 66-63-69-67. $1,040
265 - Brian Fogt, Wildwood, Mo., and Mike Small, Champaign, Ill., 63-67-66-69. $1,040
266 - Bob Ralston, Little Rock, Ark., and Brian Gaffney, Rumson, N.J., 69-65-66-66. $960
266 - Ken Martin, Wellington, Fla., and Chris Krueger, Rehoboth Beach, Del., 65-69-66-66. $960
266 - Cary Hungate, Kokomo, Ind., and James Ousley, Monticello, Ind., 69-66-64-67. $960
266 - Jerry Impellittiere, Palm City, Fla., and Spike Gareau, Hobe Sound, Fla., 65-67-65-69. $960
267 – Kris Smith and Stan McLennan, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., 70-65-65-67. $880
267 - Daniel Koesters, Las Cruces, N.M., and Bill Harvey, Albuquerque, N.M., 68-65-67-67. $880
267 - Bud Lintelman, Purcellville, Va., and John O’Leary, Chantilly, Va., 67-66-66-68. $880
267 - Scott Spence, Middletown, R.I., and Eric Barlow, Port St. Lucie, Fla., 65-67-67-68. $880
269 – Rick Bronson, Mexico, N.Y., and Dennis Colligan, Cazenovia, N.Y., 65-66-69-69. $820
269 - Mike Zinni, Mankato, Minn., and Daniel Callahan, Chaska, Minn., 65-65-69-70. $820
271 – Randy Helton, Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Loren Personett, Antioch, Tenn., 69-65-66-71. $800