The 70-year-old from Raleigh, NC carded rounds of 68 and 66 for a 10-under total of 134 to win his third North Carolina Super Senior title by seven strokes over Ross Perry of Winston-Salem. Simson and Perry were the only two players to finish in red figures at the Cedar Rock Country Club in Lenoir.
“When I made eagle on 13 it was cruise control after that,” said Simson. “I made a couple more birdies coming in and that was that.”
Simson's championship resume extends far beyond his home state of North Carolina. He has competed in 64 USGA championships, including 15 U.S. Amateurs and eight U.S. Senior Opens. Simson won the 2010 and 2012 U.S. Senior Amateurs and is one of 14 players to win the title on multiple occasions. He is third all-time with 34 match-play victories and has played in 13 Senior Amateurs. He was the runner-up to Sean Knapp in the 2017 Senior Amateur and was the low amateur in the 2001 U.S. Senior Open. He, Gene Elliott and Chip Lutz are the lone players to have won the U.S. Senior Amateur, the R&A Senior Amateur and the Canadian Senior Amateur championships.
Perry finished in solo second place with a two day total of 3-under-par. Perry followed up his opening round of even par 72 with a 3-under-par, 69 in the final round. Perry shot even on his front nine, before birdies on holes 11, 15, and 16 allowed him a bogey free back nine to charge into second.
Steve Wilkinson of Wilmington, N.C., finished in third with a two day total of 1-over-par. Rounding out the top five is a trio of competitors tied for fourth, Johnny Elam of Charlotte, N.C., Jerry Horton of Wilmington, N.C., and Ed Donlin of Concord, N.C., all finished with a two day total of 2-over-par.
In the 70+ division William Boles of Wilson, N.C., came away with a one shot victory over Arlis Pike of Kernersville, N.C.
