Bill Fowler gets back in winner's circle at Colorado Senior Stroke Play
Bill Fowler (CGA photo)
PARKER, Colo. — Bill Fowler of the Club at Rolling Hills, who won his first CGA championship 26 years ago, added another CGA title to his resume on Thursday by claiming the Senior Stroke Play Championship at Colorado Golf Club in Parker.
The former CGA president broke a tie and pulled away in the middle of the back nine Thursday, then held on for a two-stroke victory.
It was Fowler's third CGA championship overall, having previously won the 1989 Mid-Amateur and the 2005 Western Chapter.
The 52-year-old shot a 6-over-par 78 in the final round at Colorado Golf Club, which proved one of the most difficult venues ever to host the Senior Stroke Play. Indeed, Fowler's winning total of 8-over-par 224 was the highest at the Senior Stroke Play since Larry Eaton claimed the title with a 226 total in 1991 at Gleneagle Golf Club.
Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kent Moore of Cherry Hills Country Club placed second at 226 after closing with a 75 on Thursday. Moore has finished second, first and second in the last three CGA Senior Stroke Plays.
Jeff Oneth, playing his home course, came in third at 228 after a final-round 76. Robin Bradbury of Heritage at Westmoor, the leader after the first two rounds, struggled to an 88 on Thursday, which left him at 233. That fourth-place showing gave him top-four finishes at both the CGA Senior Match Play and Senior Stroke Play in 2015. David Delich of The Broadmoor Golf Club, winner of this year's CGA Senior Match Play, came in fifth at 234.
Moore, who was 1 under par for the day through 12 holes, shared the lead at that point with Fowler. But his approach shot on No. 13 landed in a bunker right of the green, which left him with a brutally fast downhill shot to the pin, and his ball trickled into the bunker below the hole. Eventually, he posted a double bogey, while Fowler parred to gain a two-stroke lead.
Fowler birdied the next two holes -- from 12 and 4 feet -- accounting for a five-stroke swing in three-hole stretch. From there, even a bogey-bogey-double bogey finish left him with a little cushion to spare.
View results for Colorado Senior Amateur
ABOUT THE Colorado Senior Amateur
Active CGA members ages 50 and up. 54 holes of
stroke play. A 36-hole cut will be
made to the low 40 players and ties.
Non-exempt players must pre-qualify.
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