Morrison Cup win the latest big title for SoCal's Craig Davis

Craig Davis (Chula Vista, Calif.) racked up another big senior title in his native Southern California, cruising to a wire-to-wire, five-shot victory at the Morrison Cup at Pauma Valley (Calif.) Country Club.

On a warm, blustery afternoon at Pauma Valley, Davis set a new tournament scoring record, eclipsing Brady Exber's mark from 2017.

Davis, winner of four straight Southern California Senior Championships from 2017-2020, took control of the tournament with an opening 5-under 66 and pushed his lead to four with a second-round 70.

The 2019 British Senior champ closed with a steady 72 to finish 54 holes at 5-under 208, five shots clear of two-time California Senior champion John Pate (Santa Barbara, Calif.). 2020 California Senior champ Robert Funk (Canyon Lake, Calif.) and 2020 Northern California senior champ Michael Rowley (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) tied for third at 2-over 215, with Scott Almquist (Wallace Idaho) finishing fifth on the strength of a final-round 69, the best of the day.

Craig Calkins, who won the Morrison Cup the last time it was played in 2019 before COVID forced back-to-back cancellations, finished tied for 15th.

Curtis Worley (Coronado, Calif.) won the Super Senior division by four shots over 2021 Texas Senior champion Gary Durbin (Houston, Texas). Like Davis, Worley led every round, finishing at 6-over 219. Howie Knodt (Pauma Valley, Calif.) was third, with Rusty Brown (Phoenix, Ariz.) and David Ujihara (Brea, Calif.) finishing in a tie for fourth.

In the Legends division, Clay Long continued the theme of wire-to-wire victories with a five-shot win over Mike Mahoney.

Curtis Worley, Clay Long, Craig Davis and tournament director Bill Whittaker

The Marion R. Morrison National Senior Amateur is named after Marion Morrison on whose ranch the Pauma Valley golf course was built in 1961. The Morrison ranch house served as the first clubhouse. Most of us know Mr. Morrison by his “stage name”, John Wayne.

The tournament has quickly established itself as a senior major and is attracting a broader national field each year, with players from 11 states competing in the championship division.