With Super Senior win, Jeff Burda is all-time NCGA champ leader

Jeff Burda, the 2020 NCGA Super Senior Player of the Year, shot a final round 1-under 70 Wednesday at Poppy Hills Golf Course to come from behind and win the annual NCGA Super Senior Championship. For the 67-year-old Burda, it’s his second Super Senior title in three years (2018). The victory also marked Burda’s record 11th career NCGA Senior title. Previously, he had been tied with Gary Vanier at 10 for the all-time lead. “I’m thrilled to be in the position,” said Burda, who finished with a two-day total of 144. “It’s satisfying. There’s a lot of great players in our age group.” Having started the day five shots behind first round leader Neil Duffy, Burda cut into the gap by posting a front nine 33 with birdies on holes Nos. 1, 3 and 4. He was still two shots behind Duffy after making the two made the turn. But then Duffy’s wheels came off. On the par-4 10th, Duffy made double-bogey. To add salt to the wound, he’d proceed to triple-bogey the par-3 11th. As he walked to the 12th tee, Duffy suddenly found himself 5-over and in a tie for fifth. Meanwhile, Burda kept the pedal to the metal. After draining a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-5 13th, he’d move to a total of 1-over, taking a two-shot lead over former winners Chuck Richesin and Ron Johnson. Later, following a Burda three-putt bogey on the 17th, Richesin and Johnson got to within a shot of the lead. Burda would go on the make par on the closing 18th to maintain the one-shot cushion. Both Richesin and Johnson would also bogey the 17th, pushing them back to two strokes behind Burda. ‘I knew the course was playing hard, so I was just trying to hang in there,” Burda said. “I knew coming in that if I made par on 18, on both 16 and 17 the pins were in a hard place to make birdie.” Richesin, who finished second at 146 following a final round 73, was champion of the Legends division (ages 70-over). Johnson took third at 147 after a final round 75. Duffy slid to a final round 81 and T-8 finish. Bob Olds, at age 80, finished T-5 after an opening round 73.