Hyland takes SOS Senior Masters

Indian Wells, Calif (April 19, 2012) -- Tom Hyland carded a final round 71 to win the Society of Seniors Masters at the Indian Wells Golf Resort today. Hyland, a resident of Marlton, New Jersey, who was playing in his third SOS tournament, posted a stunning seven-under par 65 in the second round and then fired a steady one-under-par 71 in the final round for a 54-hole score of six-under par 210 and a three-stroke victory over Robert Pomerantz of nearby Rancho Mirage, California.

Frank Acker of Henderson, Nevada, signed for the low final-round score in the Senior Divison, a 2-under-par 70, and placed third at 2-under par 214, one stroke better than Ron Carter of Monticello, Indiana, and Steve Rohrer of Costa Mesa, California.

In the Super Senior Division, Ted Smith of Wilikinson, Indiana, rallied from four-shots behind after two rounds with a final-round, two-under par 70 to for a one-shot victory over 36-hole leader Bob Howe, who winters in Palm Springs.

On Thursday morning Smith quickly wiped out Howe's four-shot lead and took a one-shot lead as he had three birdies en route to a three-under par 33 on the front nine while Howe was making an unfortunate double-bogey six at the tricky 7th hole. Smith preserved his slim lead with a solid one-over par 37 on the back nine to finish at three-under par 213, one shot better than Howe and two better than Bob Fouke of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Denny Gallagher of neighboring La Quinta, California.

The Grand Masters, who also played on the Celebrity course, looked almost like a re-run of the recent SOS Spring Classic at Twin Eagles in Naples, Florida, as Claud Johnston of Ann Arbor, Michigan, stormed to an easy seven-stroke victory over Bob Hullender of San Antonio, Texas, and Jim Ono of Santa Clara, California. Johnston won big at Twin Eagles and never trailed at Indian Wells, shooting rounds of 74-72- 71 for a 54-hole score of one-over par 217.