Golfweek Senior: Jeff Burda claims title

LA QUINTA, CA (April 26, 2016) - It was a two horse race between Jeff Burda (E) and Steve Hudson (+2) on the final day of the Golfweek Senior Amateur with Burda emerging victorious by two-strokes. With scores in the mid to upper 70's all day long on the PGA West Stadium Course, Burda was able to survive and earn his first Amateur Golf ranking event win of the year. The best score on Tuesday was an even-par 72 by Paul Zarek (Burlington, WI). After finishing second in last weeks Senior Masters, one-stroke behind Hudson, Burda was able to extract a bit of revenge as he took home the hardware. Burda put together his winning score with three day totals of 69-71-76. His final round 4-over 76 knocked him back from 4-under at the start of the day to even-par at days end but he was able to do enough damage control down the stretch. Burda, from Modesto, CA, started the day sluggishly with a double-bogey on the first and then a pair of bogeys on holes 5 and 6. Knowing that he needed to right the ship, Burda birdied No. 7, his first of three birdies on the day. The birdie on seven seemed to steady things for Burda and then he was just 1-over the rest of the way. Hudson (Birmingham, AL) began the day one-stroke behind Burda but quickly fell out of the race with a double-bogey and two bogeys on the front nine and he had to settle for second place. The next closest competitors were Scott Smith (Houston, TX) and James Starnes (Fort Meyers, FL) both of whom finished eight behind at 8-over and tied for third. Murphy Mitchell (Scottsdale, AZ) was in fifth at 9-over. In the Super-Senior Division Jody Vasquez (+2) from Aledo, TX won by four while Walt Martin (+8) was victorious by one in the Legends Division.