The 2021 AGC Super Senior Player of the Year: Jeff Burda

After winning three major super senior titles and finishing as runner-up in two more, Jeff Burda of Modesto, Calif. is the 2021 AmateurGolf.com Super Senior Player of the Year.

The AmateurGolf.com Super Senior Player of the Year is awarded based on a point system earned through performance in major senior and super senior events throughout the course of the year. This year, Burda topped the points standings despite only venturing outside the state of California a single time to compete.

Burda, who turned 68 in March, has long been a force in Northern California, becoming the all-time leader in NCGA championship titles with his win in the 2020 NCGA Super Senior.

Many highly-ranked seniors and super seniors travel the country competing in major events, but Burda mostly let the field come to him in 2021.

AmateurGolf.com Super Senior Players of the Year 2021  Jeff Burda 2020  Stephen Fox 2019  Paul Simson

Burda won his first national super senior event in April at the Golfweek Super Senior at PGA West in the California desert, romping by eight shots. He then went to nearby Indian Wells and finished second at the Society of Seniors (SOS) Super Senior Masters.

In May, Burda won the Trans-Mississippi Super Senior by four shots in a howling wind at the Meadow Club in Fairfax, Calif.

In the summer he played in a couple of senior events, finishing tied for 18th in the George Thomas Senior Invitational at Los Angeles Country Club, and recording a T8 in the Southern California Senior at La Cumbre Country Club in Santa Barbara.

In September, Burda traveled to Columbus Country Club in Ohio for the biggest championship in super senior golf, the SOS National Super Senior, and led through two rounds before ultimately finishing a single shot behind Paul Simson.

The fall saw Burda win his third major tournament of the year, coming from three shots back in the final round to successfully defend his SOS Founders Cup title at Sandpiper Golf Club near Santa Barbara, Calif. He followed that up with a strong T11 finish in the California Senior Amateur at Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles.

Final Super Senior POY Points Standings, 2021 1  Jeff Burda Modesto, CA 2325 2  Robin Rubrecht Newburgh, IN 2075 3  Marc Fried Solon, OH 2000 4  Paul Simson Raleigh, NC 1925 5  Evan Long Charlotte, NC 1800 6  John Armstrong Frostburg, MD 1725 7  Rick Woulfe Ft. Lauderdale, FL 1625 8  Randy Elliott Winter Park, FL 1500 9  Emile Vaughan Montgomery, AL 1450 10  Chip Lutz Reading, PA 1350 10  Robert Parmar Fairhope, AL 1350

In addition to his performance in national super senior events, Burda continued to enjoy success close to home, winning three Sacramento Golf Council events (the Sac County Super Senior, the Sac County Vintage, and the State Fair Super Senior).

The runner-up in the Super Senior points race was Robin Rubrecht of Newburgh, Ind., who had two wins, two seconds, and two thrid-place finishes in 2021. In third was Marc Fried (Solon, Ohio), who won twice and had an impressive eight top-4 finishes. Fried ends 2021 atop the two-year AmateurGolf.com Senior Ranking after winning four times over the last two seasons. Simson (Raleigh, N.C.), the 2019 Super Senior Player of the Year, was fourth; while his fellow Tar Heel stater Evan Long was fifth, with the odd distinction of having six third-place finishes in 2021.

Complete 2021 Points List (263 players) | AmateurGolf.com Super Senior Rankings (two-year aggregate)