Florida Sr Match Play: Kerper gets first state win in 28 years

Florida seniors were back in action at Cypress Run Golf Club just outside of Tampa Bay as the club played host to the Florida Senior Amateur Match Play Championship.

Last year’s winner, Owen Joyner was bounced in the Round of 32 by Allen Peake. Peake found himself matched up with this year’s eventual champion Richard Kerper in the quarterfinals.

Related: Joyner wins another Florida Senior Match Play title

Kerper had high praise for Peake, noting that it was the toughest match of the week for him. 2 down with three holes to play, Kerper went birdie, par, birdie to fight his way off the ropes and advance to the semifinals.

“My ball-striking was great through all my matches,” Kerper said to AmateurGolf.com. “It’s typical of the way I play. I’m not a long hitter, I just hit it straight and get it on the green.”

After a 3&2 win over Jimmy Jones in the semifinals, Kerper squared off against Rick Woulfe in the championship match.

Down one after six holes, Kerper turned the tide with a 25-foot birdie putt to get the match back to all square. Refusing to look back, Kerper won the next six holes to put the championship away 6&4.

“My mindset is to always be in a hole. Never take yourself out of it. I’m not overly aggressive I just kind of plod it down the middle and see what happens.”

A real estate developer by day, Kerper has experience in match play as he’s competed in two of the past three U.S. Senior Amateurs. This is the second FSGA championship win of Kerper’s career and his first in 28 years when he won the 1992 Florida Four-Ball Championship.