photo courtesy NCGA

"I played with some great players the last two days," said Bowen. "I was just trying to stay out of their way."

After capturing the NCGA Senior Championship Tuesday, Bowen placed himself squarely in the way and on top of a highly-competitive tournament.

Coming into the final round, the Lincoln resident stood three shots back of first-round leader Greg Futch of Santa Rosa (who faded due to an eight-over-par front nine in the final round). But Bowen was able to follow his opening-round, one-under 71 with another steady 71 on a very windy 6,205-yard, par-72 Hiddenbrooke GC.

The Lincoln Hills member bogeyed the par-3 17th hole to fall into a tie with runner-up Shelton Washburn, but was able to claim the championship by stiffing his third shot into the closing par 5. The ensuing two-foot putt gave Bowen a one-stroke win and more importantly, an exemption into the State Senior Championship in June, the champion’s goal coming into the week.

"I was just trying to hit the best shot I could," Bowen said regarding his pitch shot that set up the win. "I thought I might have lost it when I bogeyed 17."

Runner-up Washburn suffered two costly three-putt greens on the back nine that ultimately kept him out of the winner’s circle, but enjoyed his experience.

"I like the way the NCGA presents golf for seniors," the Novato resident and StoneTree and Meadow Club member said. "There’s practically an event every week to play in that is part of the points program."

The NCGA Senior Championship unofficially kicks off the points race which determines the Player-of-the-Year Award, and with the winner and runner-up in the 2006 race (Gary Vanier and Bob Rowland respectively) not in the field, that race will be interesting to watch unfold throughout the summer.

Third place was earned by Butte Creek’s Carl Selkirk, who had a hot start in 2007 with a win at the San Francisco City Senior. Selkirk was three shots back of the champion.

The Super-Seniors division, for golfers aged 65 and older, was won by Granite Bay’s David Ellis. Second was shared by Bob Fries of Fort Washington, Bob Heaton of Antioch and Wayne Sleppy of Ancil Hoffman.

Full results follow:

Bill Bowen  71-71--142 Shelton Washburn  73-70--143 Carl Selkirk  73-72--145 Mark Miller  73-74--147 John Enright  72-76--148 Marshall Raymer  73-75--148 Frank Abbott  76-73--149 Lou Alvarez  71-78--149 Douglas Johnson  71-78--149 David Ellis  76-74--150 Herb Jensen  74-76--150 David Kinser  74-76--150 Thomas Lyons  76-74--150 David Carroll  77-74--151 Robert Reed  78-73--151 Earl Stewart  75-76--151 Jeff Early  78-74--152 Robert Heaton  77-75--152 Lee Jeberjahn  70-82--152 Gary Shemano  76-76--152 Ken Slasor  76-76--152 Wayne Sleppy  75-77--152 Rob Thompson  71-81--152 Bob Fries  74-78--152 Greg Olson  75-77--152 Alan Schneider  75-77--152 Greg Futch  68-85--153 Bud Christians  80-73--153 Ford Heath  78-75--153 Frank Pieper  77-76--153 Bruce Swanson  77-76--153 Tom Lewandowski  77-77--154 Charles Richesin  74-80--154 Michael Davis  77-78--155 Bob Fleming  77-78--155 Dick Lahey  78-77--155 James Sullivan  79-76--155 Tony Wilmer  78-77--155 Ed Anderson  78-78--156 Kirk Holtze  80-76--156 Jon Jew  78-78--156 R. F. Martin  80-76--156 Thomas Hitchcock  78-79--157 Chris McKenna  78-79--157 Thomas O'Grady  74-83--157 Bob Schoenherr  77-80--157 Terry Coffee  86-72--158 Rex Massier  78-80--158 Gregory Saiki  79-79--158 Ronnie Wiley  79-80--159 John Cahoon  79-80--159 Charles Beesley  83-77--160 Gary Conti  81-79--160 Michael Flood  79-81--160 Robert Luff  77-83--160 Dick Dallagiacomo  83-78--161 Robert Frey  77-84--161 Thomas Marks  78-83--161 William McClintock  80-81--161 Dave Parsons  78-83--161 Paul Balbas  75-86--161 Barry Brady  82-80--162 Mark Farina  79-83--162 Dale Howell  80-82--162 Bill Sonnenberg  80-82--162 James Dalton  78-85--163 Jay Guerin  81-82--163 David Hemrick  78-85--163 Don Mancebo  76-87--163 Neal Pearson  77-86--163 Larry Riis  79-84--163 William Snell  79-84--163 James Manzi  83-81--164 Marshall Petersen  78-87--165 Bob Green  86-81--167 Mike Shea  82-85--167 Dale Welin  81-86--167 James Clarke  87-81--168 Joe Alvarez  78-91--169 Andy Wilcox  85-85--170 Raul Perez  84-87--171 Kent Newmark  85-90--175 Don Miskin  90-86--176 Gerry Henley  90-90--180

--Story courtesy NCGA