Kenny Cook cruises to four-shot win at Harvey Penick

AUSTIN, Texas (Oct. 12, 2014) — Kenny Cook of Noblesville, Ind. entered Sunday's final round with a five-stroke lead. He eventually captured a four-shot win at the Harvey Penick Invitational while 2013 champion Brian Noonan came in second place.

Cook, the 2011 U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up, used rounds of 70 and 68 to cushion his lead before the final round and cruised to the victory with an even-par 72. Noonan made a nice push, shooting 69, but entered the last day trailing by seven so the defending champion would have needed something spectacular to reclaim the title.

Cook was one of three first-round leaders at 70 after Friday's opening round, along with Texans Colby Harwell and Neal Barfield. Harwell shot 73-72 over the weekend to finish five back in a tie for fifth place while Barfield struggled in the final two days, shooting 77-78.

John Ehrgott also tied for third with Harwell, posting 73-72-70 en route to a one-under par 215 finish.

John Grace

In the Senior division, John Grace of Fort Worth, Texas built a six-shot lead after stellar play in the first two rounds and continued upon that on Sunday. Grace shot three consecutive rounds in the 60's — something that wasn't even done in the Mid-Amateur division. Grace posted 206, shooting 69-68-69 to win by a remarkable 10 shots.

Grace, 66, has finished runner-up at both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Senior Amateur, and is also a former Walker Cup member. His 54- hole total of 206 is a Harvey Penick Senior record.

One of two first-round leaders Bob Kearney rebounded after a rough Saturday on the golf course. After opening with 68, the Houston resident shot ten shots higher the following day. But after a 70 on Sunday, he returned near the top of the leaderboard to finish alone in second place.

Third place went to two players — Mike Peck and Jeff New — at 217, eleven shots behind Grace.