Team Strawn completes comeback win at 2022 Golfweek Senior Challenge Cup

December 17, 2022 | by Golfweek

Captains Craig Hurlbert (L) and Rusty Strawn

Team Strawn goes 10-under over the closing nine holes at Jacarda Golf Club to defeat Team Hurlbert; Ken Kinkopf takes senior title

Capping off one of the most dominant years in recent senior amateur golf history, Rusty Strawn closed out 2022 by captaining his team to an incredible come-from-behind victory over Team Hurlbert at the Golfweek Senior Challenge Cup at Jacaranda Golf Club's East Course in Plantation, Fla.

Carding a team front-nine score of 7 over, Strawn’s team did enough to chip away at Team Hurlbert and get within one shot. It wasn’t until the pressure turned up on the back nine where Strawn’s team felt the most comfortable.

As one of the top three scorers on his team, Strawn combined with John Wright and James Starnes for a wild 10-under par back nine. The incredible loop, in addition to six of the 10 counting scores being at or under par, opened up a nine-shot lead for the Strawn Men.

While Team Strawn flourished down the stretch, 2021 Golfweek Player of the Year Craig Hurlbert and crew couldn’t hold on to their vanishing lead.

Combining for 12 over on the front nine, Hurlbert’s team saw their lead quickly shrink. Grasping for straws, Team Hurlbert was 5 over through 15. Needing a miracle push, eight of the 10 counting scores birdied the par-4 16th, giving Hurlbert’s crew a glimmer of hope with two holes to play.

Unable to muster any more magic, Team Hurlbert carded a 9-over 739. The finish resulted in a comeback win for Rusty Strawn’s crew. Closing out strong, Team Strawn’s final-round 704 was the lowest team score of the week.

Aside from the team championship, four individual titles were awarded.

Ken Kinkopf was able to fend off a slew of challengers to hold on to the Senior division title. Kinkopf’s bogey-free, final-round 67 was the lowest round of the week in the senior division. The win makes it back-to-back Golfweek senior event victories, as Kinkopf took home the Tournament of Champions title in early December.

Rusty Strawn and Mike Combs couldn’t overcome speed bumps from early in the week, tying for second place at 2 over.

Fifty-four holes weren’t enough to settle the Super Senior division. Steve Humphrey and Tim Vigotsky traded blows throughout the second and third rounds, but it was Humphrey who was able to ride the momentum from a final round 1 under 70 to take the championship on the first playoff hole.

Peter Van Ingen closed out a wire-to-wire victory in the Legend division with a final-round 72. The win closes out a strong finish to Van Ingen’s 2022 season, as he finished second in the Golfweek Tournament of Champions and followed that up with a third-place finish in the Society of Seniors last weekend.

2022 Yancey Ford Award winner Joe Pavoni also went wire-to-wire in his Super Legend win. Pavoni used rounds of 76, 80 and 74 to close out a four-shot victory in the 75+ age division.

by Brayden Conover, Golfweek

Results: Senior Challenge Cup

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Ken Kinkopf	Jupiter, FL	700	71-72-67=210
T2	Rusty Strawn	McDonough, GA	400	74-72-69=215
T2	Mike Combs	Roswell, GA	400	72-71-72=215
4	Gary Durbin	Houston, TX	300	71-74-71=216
5	John Wright	Fairhope, AL	300	74-76-68=218

View full results for Senior Challenge Cup

About the Senior Challenge Cup

Team Strawn completes comeback win at 2022 Golfweek Senior Challenge Cup

54-hole stroke play tournament for players ages 55 and over, with a handicap index of 8.0 or lower. Senior (ages 55-64), Super Senior (65-69), Legends (70-74) and Super Legends (75+) divisions.