Paul Simson (left) and Don Detweiler (CGA photo)
Winning a Carolinas Championship title is no easy feat and it is certainly harder when
Paul Simson and
Don Detweiler of Raleigh, N.C. are in the field. Their performance at the 11th Carolinas Super Senior Four-Ball Championship this week at Walnut Creek Country Club in Goldsboro, N.C. is a prime example of their unbelievable execution as a team.
Coming out of the gate with a 10-under-par, 62 and sealing the deal with a 5-under-par, 67, the unstoppable duo captured their 12th CGA Four-Ball title and third Carolinas Super Senior Four-Ball Championship at 15-under-par, 129.
“I made absolutely everything,” said Simson, referring to the opening round. “That was probably the best putting round I had all year and Don [Detweiler] made three or four birdies himself. There were so many birdies going in, we honestly lost count for a while as to how far under we were.”
The opening round set them up in good position coming into the final round with a three-stroke lead over Andy Burnette of Raleigh, N.C. and Dave Davis of Morehead City, N.C.
Both sides started off with a birdie on No. 1 to get the ball rolling. Burnette and Davis followed it with another on the par-3, No. 3 to narrow Simson and Detweiler’s lead to just two strokes. Both sides birdied No. 5 as well and carded a string of pars from No. 6 to 11.
Simson and Detweiler drained one of only seven birdies made this week on No. 13 to take back their three-stroke lead, but things really started to heat up coming down the stretch.
“I chipped in on No. 15, which you know then we had people that were still within touch of us. Dave Davis made a 50-footer from off the green to stay close,” said Simson. “They bogeyed No. 16 though which gave us four shots and we birdied No. 17 so we were in good shape.”
A winning par on No. 18 secured the title for Simson and Detweiler, long-time four-ball partners and friends.
“I am 70 and with Paul [Simson] at 71, every win is special and this is really good,” said Detweiler. “We worked hard for it and we played really well. I give all the credit to Paul though. This is not the imposter Paul Simson that sometimes shows up, he was the real deal this week.” That comment was followed by big laughs from the tried and true partners.
This win marks Simson’s 45th CGA Championship title since his first win at the 1990 Carolinas Mid-Amateur and further cements his legacy as the winningest champion in CGA history. This win is a milestone in Detweiler’s career as well as he now has the fourth most titles in CGA men’s history with 12 wins. He only trails Larry Boswell of Jamestown, N.C. with 15 titles, Dale Morey of High Point, N.C. with 24 titles and of course, Simson with 45.
Ultimately Burnette and Davis claimed runners-up with a 10-under-par, 134 finish. Gary Hull of Statesville, N.C. and Gary Howze of Morehead City, N.C. climbed up from eight to earn third at 9-under-par, 135 after a 5-under-par, 67 in the final round. Notably, that tied the low round of the day.
John Long of Murrells Inlet, S.C. and Dennis Helms of North Myrtle Beach, S.C. earned the 70+ Division title by four strokes with a whopping 17-under-par, 127. They carded rounds of 9-under-par, 63 and 8-under-par, 64, respectively.
“It is all about the partner you have. If you can get a good partner you win,” said Long as Helms laughed. “We played really well together today and that is what is important,” said Helms.
Keith Li and Pete Allen of Southport, N.C. earned runners-up with an impressive 13-under-par, 131. Dick Hogan and Wayne Pyrtle of Burlington, N.C. claimed third at 10-under-par, 134.
View results for Carolinas Super Senior Four-Ball
ABOUT THE Carolinas Super Senior Four-Ball
The championship is contested at 36 holes of
four-
ball stroke play. Gross
scores only. Teams select the division in which to
compete if eligible:
Championship Division (Men Age 65+);
Approximate
yardage = 6000
yards.
70+ Division (Both team members age 70+);
Approximate yardage = 5500
yards.
View Complete Tournament Information