Ken Kinkopf wins weather-shortened Hesler by 8 shots

July 24, 2019 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

Ken Kinkopf pulled away at the Club at Olde Stone

Ken Kinkopf picks up his third win of the year and retakes the top spot in the AmateurGolf.com senior ranking

Ken Kinkopf broke away for a convincing eight-shot win at the weather-shortened Hesler Invitational on Wednesday after having just a share of it after the first round at the Club at Olde Stone in Bowling Green, Ky. Kinkopf couldn’t repeat the ace he had at No. 3 in the opening round, but he did something nearly as good, making four consecutive birdies from Nos. 10-13.

Kinkopf, from Jupiter, Fla., bettered his score by three shots from Round 1 to Round 2 – improving from 72 to 69. At 3 under for the tournament, he easily outpaced his three closest chasers.

Larry Nunez of Austin, Texas; Keith Holmes of Macon, Ga.; and Mark Knecht of Paducah, Ky. finished tied for the runner-up spot at 5 over. Among that group, only Holmes was under par on Wednesday with a 1-under 71.

Four men finished 6 over and in a tie for fifth.

With his finish, Kinkopf, already a winner this year at the Senior Masters sand Golfweek Senior POY Classic, has retaken the top spot in the AmateurGolf.com Senior Ranking.

In the Super Senior division, Robin Rubrecht of Newburgh, Ind., won a three-man playoff over John Armstrong (Frostburg, Md.) and Mark Weston (Windermere, Fla.) on the second playoff hole after the three finished at 7-over 151. Rubrecht got into the playoff with a 1-under 71, the only under-par round shot by any super senior.

George Washburn (Frederick, Md.) held off Doug Aaron (Russell Springs, Ky.) by one shot to win the Grand Master division

ROUND ONE RECAP

The early lead at the Jack Hesler Tournament belongs to Jeff Harper and Ken Kinkopf. Both men had steady rounds of even-par 72 at the Club at Olde Stone in Bowling Green, Ky., for a slim edge in the 54-hole senior event.

Harper, from Coolville, Ohio, birdied his 17th hole to pull back to even par. Kinkopf, of Jupiter, Fla., had a little bit more of an exciting day thanks to an ace on the par-3 third hole. Kinkopf had started with a bogey at No. 1, but thanks to the hole-out on No. 3 and a birdie at No. 4, more than made up for it. He birdied the 18th to get back to even after three mid-round bogeys.

Kinkopf has already won twice this year at the Senior Masters sand Golfweek Senior POY Classic. His finish at this event last year was middling – a T-19.

The two lead Allen Peake, the marathon man of senior golf by two shots. Peake, a Macon, Ga., resident who tees it up nearly every week on the senior circuit, is tied at 74 with Rand Mendez of Wilmington, Del., and Rick Goolsby of Fullerton, Calif.

Three men are tied for first in the super senior division after opening rounds of 3-over 75. That includes Evan Long, John Armstrong and Philip Russo.

Doug Aaron leads the grand master division with an even-par round.

Results: Society of Seniors Jack Hesler

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Ken Kinkopf	Jupiter, FL	700	72-69=141
T2	Larry Nunez	Austin, TX	400	76-73=149
T2	Keith Holmes	Macon, GA	400	78-71=149
T2	Mark Knecht	Paducah, KY	400	77-72=149
T5	Allen Peake	Macon, GA	300	74-76=150