John Wright didn’t just survive TPC Tampa Bay — he handled it better than anyone else.
The 62-year-old from Fairhope, Ala., opened with the only under-par round of the first day, a 1-under 70 in brutal winds, and never gave it back. He added rounds of 72 and 70 to finish at 1-under 212 (70-72-70), good for a two-shot win at the Golfweek Pirate’s Cup.
Joe Alfieri of Lutz, Fla., closed with 68 to finish runner-up at 1-over 214 (74-72-68).
Jerry Gunthorpe of Ovid, Mich., was third at 2-over 215 (74-74-67).
Wright, who runs a sod farm for a living, leaned on ball-striking and a wind game shaped by coastal Alabama. “I drove it extremely well,” he said. “Putting was suspect at times, but I made the putts I needed to.”
The win also fits the kind of schedule he’s been piecing together. Last year, Wright played nine ranked events, highlighted by a T-2 at the Golfweek Senior Amateur Championship in April and an eighth-place finish at the Illinois State Senior Amateur Championship — his two top-10s of the season.
In the Super Senior division, Scott Ray of Central City, Ky., rallied with 73-73 over the final two rounds to post 12-over 225 (79-73-73) and beat Bryan Rodgers of Knoxville, Tenn., in a playoff. Rodgers also finished at 225 (77-73-75).
Greg Osborne of Lititz, Pa., claimed the Legend division at 4-over 217 (77-70-70), six clear of Bobby Lundquist of Sanford, Fla., at 10-over 223 (80-71-72).
And in Super Legend, Sam Robinson of Jacksonville, Fla., won at 10-over 223 (78-74-71), 18 shots ahead of Bill Engel of St. Augustine, Fla., at 28-over 241 (77-85-79).