BUCKINGHAM — Hidden Valley Lake Golf Course superintendent Billy Witt had to work overtime Saturday to win the 25th annual Lake County Senior Amateur Golf Championship at Buckingham Golf and Country Club.
The Senior Am is open to amateur golfers age 50 and older. Once again it was a battle between Witt and two-time defending Senior Am champ Juan Lopez of Finley. The two were tied with scores of 2-over-par 74 through 18 holes. Witt won the first playoff hole with an up-and-down par to add to his impressive golfing resume while capturing his first Senior Am title.
After nine holes of play, Witt held a one-stroke lead over Lopez following his 2-over-par 38. Witt continued to build upon his lead early on the back nine with two birdies. With just four holes left to play, Witt enjoyed a relatively safe four-stroke lead over Lopez. However, during the course of the final four holes, Lopez recorded back-to-back birdies on the 16th and 17th holes while Witt made a double-bogey five on the 15th hole, birdied the par-5 16th hole, and then gave it back with a bogey on the par-5 17th hole. Lopez two-putted the 18th hole for a par while Witt matched Lopez by making a 12-foot par putt on the final hole.
On the first playoff hole, Lopez short-sided himself to the right of the green and was unable to get up and down for par while Witt made par from just short of the green to secure the win.
Net flight
In the net division of the Senior Am for golfers with handicaps of 10 and higher, Upper Lake’s Mel O’Meara carded a most impressive 6-under-par score of 66 to prevail by two strokes over Joe Del Prete of Kelseyville. Del Prete shot a 4-under-par net 68.
The Senior Am was O’Meara’s first individual win on the Lake County Circuit.
Ted Knowles of Kelseyville finished in third place with a 70, Todd Colbrandt of Middletown was fourth with an even-par 72, and the trio of Rick Easter of Lakeport, Ken Kellner of Buckingham and Rob O’Hara of Kelseyville rounded out the top five with scores of 1-over-par 73.
Schedule
The next event on the Lake County Amateur Golf Circuit schedule is the Lake County Partners Better Ball Tournament scheduled for June 25 at Buckingham. Entry forms can be attained by contacting the Buckingham Pro Shop at (707) 279-4863.
