SILVER SPRING, Md. (Sept. 23, 2014) — Bobby Morris came through with a series of clutch back-nine shots to seal his second Washington Metropolitan Senior Amateur championship with rounds of 69-70--139, beating runner-up Mike McCarthy (71-71--142) by three shots at Argyle Country Club in Silver Spring, September 22.
Morris, from Congressional CC, who was tied early, began to pull away from McCarthy with a 40-foot chip-in birdie at the ninth, then cited three key shots on the incoming nine -- a sand-save at the 11th; an eight-foot par putt at the par-5 12th after putting a second shot in the water and dropping back for a wedge shot at the 532-yard test, and a second shot to a foot at 15 that all but clinched matters. For the round, he hit 16 greens in regulation.
"I was steady -- played solid," said Morris, whose previous title in this event came in 2005, also at Argyle. In each of his two rounds, he had one birdie and eight pars. This was enough to force his challengers to make birdies and they were not forthcoming when needed.
McCarthy, from Bethesda and Columbia CC, started two back, moved into a tie after four holes, put up a string of pars and was still within one until he bogeyed 14 and Morris birdied 15. Ben Clements, Hobbit's Glen GC, the 2009 champion, finished third, 72-72--144, followed by John Howson, Universsity of Maryland GC, 71-74--145. Defending champion Mike Occi, Hobbit's Glen GC, included six birdies in his round of 71, but an opening 75 left him with too much ground to cover.
In a separate competition, George Washburn, Holly Hills CC, used the low round of the day, a 72, to finish at 145 and captured the Super Seniors (65-over) title by two strokes over Peter Jacobi, Army Navy CC, and Walt Martin, Army Navy CC. Jacobi shot 72-75--147, and Martin 73-74--147. Washburn, 68, hit 13 greens and had four birdies in posting a 72 to improve on an opening 73.
The Seniors played the par-70 course at 6,316 yards and the Super Seniors at 5,953. The event was sponsored and conducted by the Washington Metropolitan Golf Association. The 2015 edition will be contested at Worthington Manor Golf Club on Monday and Tuesday, September 21-22.
ABOUT THE Washington Metropolitan Senior Amateur
Championship for seniors in the Washington
(D.C.) Metro area. 36 hole stroke play format with
Senior and Super Senior divisions.
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