Gene Elliott continued a successful season at Kawanaki Golf Club in Quebec
(USGA photo)
KAHNAWAKE, QUEBEC, CANADA (September 14, 2017) -
Gene Elliott (W. Des Moines, IA) won the Canadian Men's Senior Championship in comeback fashion, overtaking
Doug Hanzel (Savannah, GA) who had led each of the previous two days.
On a difficult Kanawaki Golf Club that yielded only three under par rounds the entire week, Elliott shot an even-par 70 to post a three-over 283 total. Hanzel, who had three straight even-par rounds to build a three shot overnight lead, faded to a 75 and finished two shots back at 285.
Related: Canadian Senior: Hanzel Leads but Big Names Lurk
“I am so thrilled - this is tough competition,” said Elliott to Golf Canada. “Senior golf is tough; these guys are good. You win very little in golf at all and when you do it’s very special. To win in Canada, I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Hanzel's three shot lead disappeared in the first five holes, as Elliott made birdies on 3 and 5, while Hanzel bogeyed 2 and 5. Another bogey at the 6th put Hanzel two behind Elliott, but the lead lead was gifted back to Hanzel when Elliott made triple-bogey 7 at the par-four 8th.
Elliott squared it up with a birdie on the 12th, but the key hole was the 400-yard par-four 14th. An Elliott birdie with a Hanzel bogey produced a three-shot swing and a three-shot lead for Elliott with just four holes to play. Hanzel did bounce back with a birdie on the 16th, but by then it was too late and even with a bogey on the last Elliott was the comfortable winner.
Elliott's comeback actually started on Wednesday in round three. Seven shots down after 36 holes, Elliott pulled within three after a third-round four-under 66, the low round of the tournament. That round got him within range of Hanzel and gave him a realistic chance at the win.
It was the second comeback in as many events for Elliott. In the Iowa Senior Amateur two weeks ago, Elliott started the final round one shot back and closed with a 66 to
pull away from the field by eight shots.
Today's win was the latest in what has been a great season for Elliott. In addition to four Iowa state championships this year, Elliott has won the
Trans-Mississippi Senior and the
International Four-Ball.
For Hanzel, it was a chance to win a sixth national senior championship this year, having already won the National Senior Hall of Fame, The Hesler, the Coleman Senior, the Florida Azalea Senior and Golfweek POY Classic. Instead, he had to settle for his fifth runner-up finish, to go along with those he had in the British Senior, Jones Cup Senior, Timuquana Cup Senior, and last week's Senior Porter Cup.
Three other Americans tied for third at 287, four shots behind Elliott:
Allen Barber (Yorktown, VA),
Jack Hall (Savannah, GA), and
Paul Simson (Raleigh, NC).
Barber was the
first-round leader after an opening 67, but fell back with a 77 in round two and was never in striking distance afterward. His final-round 70 was tied for the low round of the day with Elliott.
Hall, who
won this tournament in 2015, had steady rounds of 72-72-71-72.
Simson, who
won the Super Senior title decided two days ago, was going for the double by adding the Senior title but went out in 40, dashing his chances. Four late birdies pulled him into the third-place tie.
The low Canadian was
Doug Roxburgh (Vancouver, BC), who tied with American
Brady Exber (Las Vegas, NV) for sixth place at eight-over 288. The
2014 Canadian Senior champion closed with a 73.
The defending champion
Michael Mercier (Juno Beach, FL) finished in a tie for 13th at 12-over 292.
Mercier
won last year's championship by two strokes at Grand Niagara Golf Club in Ontario.
Hanzel remains the #1 ranked player in the
AmateurGolf.com Senior Rankings, with Hall moving up to second, Elliott now third and Simson fourth.
With his win, Elliott earns an exemption into the 2018 U.S. Men’s Senior Amateur Championship at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore., from August 25th to 30th.
He will also have a chance to defend his title in next year's Canadian Senior, to be held at Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club in Bathurst, New Brunswick. “I can’t wait to get to New Brunswick,” said Elliott with a chuckle. “I have no idea where it is or how to get there, but I’ll be there.”
ABOUT THE Canadian Senior Amateur
72 hole stroke play championship.
Senior
Any Male golfer who has reached their 55th birthday
by the first scheduled day of
the championship. Player must have a handicap
factor of 8.0 or less.
Super Senior
Any Male golfer who has reached their 65th birthday
by the first scheduled day of
the championship. Player must have a handicap
factor of 12.0 or less.
View Complete Tournament Information