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50 Year Old wins PGA Championship

Ed Townsend - Columnist
Posted 5/27/21

Who would have ever thought what we and many golfers witnessed last Sunday afternoon…was it for real or was it a rerun from several years ago.

We normally don't report on PGA tournaments but …

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50 Year Old wins PGA Championship

Posted

Who would have ever thought what we and many golfers witnessed last Sunday afternoon…was it for real or was it a rerun from several years ago.

We normally don't report on PGA tournaments but when it became real that lefty Phil Mickelson, at the age of 50, would be standing on the 18th green at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, South Carolina, hoisting the Wanamaker Trophy, the oldest to ever do so…the oldest to ever win a major championship in the nearly 150-year history of major competition…yes…the champion of the 103rd PGA Championship.

This crafty and ever so talented champion certainly showed the golfing world how to do it as he held off Brooks Koepka and displayed a wedge shot that proved he still knew how to compete for this big championship.

The wedge shot took place on the par-3 fifth hole, as Mickelson had sprayed his tee shot into the sand next to the green.

Koepka reached the green safely and was looking at a potential birdie putt that, if Mickelson couldn't get up and down, would push Koepka right back into the lead.

When looking at the hole it was clear that Mickelson was some 50 feet from the hole.

So now the drama became real…Mickelson with a delicate little swing pops the ball onto the green, four little hops later and adds in some roll and his ball buries itself in the bottom of the cup.

This shot alone did not present him with the championship but it's this type of shot that definitely forwarded a message to Koepka.

But, could one make it a sure bet that the 50-year-old would stay ahead and win the championship.

Phil had his moments, all over the yard, up and down from anywhere but it was starting to happen and the rest of the leader-board started to fall away.

As fans flooded the fairway during Mickelson's walk up to the 72nd hole the scene behind and in front of him was absolutely great.

What a great fitting to a champion who knew he could do it.

Ed's Outlook

Golf Show

Returning in 2022

With COVID-19 taking control of 2020 and parts of the 2021 golf world the Sullivan County golf community lost their three days of exposure at the canceled North Coast Golf and Travel Show held at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center in Edison, New Jersey.

This popular spring golf show also gave the opportunity for golfers to meet and talk with Joe Stegh the promoter and owner of the North Coast Golf and Travel Show.

After many years of attending Joe's shows which previously were held at the Rockland County Community College, Suffern, NY and now at Edison, NJ we along with several Sullivan County golfers always looked forward to sitting down with Stegh to talk about some history of this great game of golf.

The show's concept has now evolved into something much different where golfers can shop, compare and save on a huge selection of golf equipment, apparel, accessories, where you can plan your next golf getaway to fabulous resorts, where you can compete in skills competitions and win valuable prizes, where you can test, hit and compare the newest golf clubs, where you can enjoy entertaining stage presentations and demonstrations and where you can receive free instruction from PGA professionals.

We can certainly attest to the fact that Joe Stegh's North Coast Golf and Travel Shows bring an outstanding, professionally run golfing event which is certainly refreshing and welcome to area golfers and it's great to report that the New Jersey show will return on March 4-6, 2022.

It marks their 35th consecutive year of producing America's finest consumer golf shows.

Golf Tip

by Robert Menges

One of the most overlooked aspects in the game of golf is called “course management.”

There are two different components that control the game of golf, mental and physical. Course management falls under the mental side of the game. Golfers of all ability levels can learn to shave strokes off their game by thinking.

Even the greatest golfers in the world hit errant shots once in a while. While some of them make fantastic miracle shots to get out of trouble the smart safe play is forgotten because it does not make the highlight reel.

I see golfers try to hit shots they are not capable of and it ends up costing them strokes instead of saving them. If you use good course management, sometimes it is better to pitch out to the fairway and then hit to the green.

When you are playing a par 5 you may want to lay up with your second shot and then try to make a birdie by using a good wedge game.

If you find yourself in trouble on the course, make sure you go through all your options before you hit your shot. By using good course management you are able to keep a big number off of your scorecard.

You may feel like you are giving up, but sometimes a smart safe play will save you strokes and improve your score.

Robert Menges is the head golf professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club on Mt. Hope Road in Swan Lake. He is available for private lessons and if you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 845-292-0323 or via email at bobmenges22@gmail.com.

Putting Tip

By Geoff Walsh

Confidence in your putting ability is a huge key.

Make sure to follow the four step process.

1. Motivation to improve.

2. Practicing the correct elements of putting including 4 putting drills.

3. Quality, diligent practice putting sessions will bring good results.

4. Good results will give the golfer the CONFIDENCE to continue the practice and building of putting skills over time.

Geoff Walsh is a Class A PGA Professional at the Tarry Brae Golf Course which is located at 387 Pleasant Valley Road, South Fallsburg and is available for private lessons. If you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 845-434-2620.

Ed Townsend is a Public Relations Consultant to the sport of Golf and brings over 60-years of sports journalism experience writing and compiling information for this column. If you have league or tournament information, score a hole-in-one or even shoot your age, let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email at bghtnews@aol.com View this column and Ed's photos at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Twitter and Facebook.

Twin Village

Monday Mens

1. Husson & Husson 61.5

2. Tallman & Ackerly 55.0

3. Reed & Odell 54.5

4. Templin & Lee 53.5

5. Thomas & Hendrickson 52.0

6. Ryder & Ryder 49.0

6. Brock & Brock 49.0

6. Murphy & Townsend 49.0

6. Darbee & France 49.0

10. Green & Glantzis 46.0

11. Madera & Diaz 43.0

11. Harris & Spalding 43.0

13. Clark & Mooney 40.0

14. Tucker & Smith 38.0

14. Wood & Brosius 38.0

14. Rampe & Clancy 38.0

17. Haas & France 37.5

18. Bennett & Rowan 32.0

SWAN LAKE

Tuesday Night

Birdie Division

1. M. Welsh & S. Duquette 16.5

2. T. Ditmar & N. Rusin 15.0

2. Todd & Taylor VanKeuren 15.0

3. M. Williams & D. Divita 14.5

4. T. Merklin & S. Austin 14.0

5. N. Bell & M. Freaney 12.5

6. P. Clifford & A. Hauser 11.5

7. K. Torrens & M. Lagatutta 11.0

8. J. Merklin & W. Huebner 10.0

9. N. Huggler & M. Murphy 9.5

10. C. Hicks & B. Garber 8.5

11. D. Byrne & T. Byrne 7.0

12. D. Luczyski & M. Garigliano 6.5

13. A. Atkins & R. Festa 6.0

13. T. Osterhout & B. Meyer 6.0

14. H. Keherley & J. Rhupert 4.5

Tuesday night

Par Division

1. C. Roth & C. Roth 13.5

2. J. Sazoff & S. Ottino 13.0

3. T. Gallo & C. Roth 12.5

3. J. J. Van Keuren & T. Nieman 12.5

4. E. O'Malley & T. Ellison 12.0

4. C. Schadt & W. Mall 12.0

5. K. Wheeler & S. Hamlin 9.0

5. J. Finn & J. Russell 9.0

6. J. Rusin & R. Ellison 8.5

6. Walter & Quintin Herzog 8.5

7. K. Clifford & B. Menges 8.0

8. M. Diehl & A. Bradley 7.5

9. P. Donovan & K. Scheibe

10. J. Frankie & R. Frankie

11. J. Tanous & J. Wilhelm

12. P. Fanning & A. Marciano

Wednesday night

1. F. Barrett & D. Hendrickson 19.0

2. R. Schmidt & B. Russell 16.0

2. T. Martin & T. Martin Jr. 16.0

3. R. Heyman & J. Weinstein 15.0

3. D. Kuebler & R. O'Mara 15.0

4. J. Fedroff & H. Tighe 13.0

5. E. Stratton & M. Brand 11.5

6. P. Wegman & R. Lennon 9.5

7. W. Mall & F. Stabbert 8.0

8. G. Ziegler & J. Wunder 6.0

9. R. Meihoffer & T. Doughty 5.0

10. J. Fink & J. Graham 4.0

11. R. Esposito & D. Hoskings 2.0

12. J. Hinkley & P. Alden

Thursday Travel League

1. Thomas & Husson 45.5

2. Kuhn & Martin 39.5

3. Stevens & Holmquest 39.0

3. Cawley & Todora 39.0

5. Coney & Mace 38.5

6. Hutchins & Mack 37.0

7. Schmidt & Ackerly 36.5

8. Benzenberg & Benzenberg 36.0

9. Jardine & Stanley 34.0

10. Gilmore & Gilmore 29.5

11. Collura & Fisher 29.0

11. Winters & Petraglia 29.0

13. Benstein & Lubniewski 25.0

14. Cunningham & Poli 20.5

Villa Roma

Villa Division

1. Meyer & Meyer 64.5

2. Molusky & Ward 63.0

3. Johnston & Clark 59.5

4. Brockner & Marston 53.0

5. Schmidt & Drobysh 51.5

6. Calkin & Calkin 50.5

7. Russell & Dubois 48.5

8. Fenton & Nearing 43.5

9. Feeney & Marin 42.0

10. O'Brien & Walsh 41.5

11. Hendrickson & Hendrickson 31.5

12. Buddenhagen & Bonnaci 27.0

Roma Division

1. Backlund & Smith 64.0

2. Willi & Stubits 63.5

3. Starr & J. Nober 56.0

4. Phillips & Phillips 55.5

5. Esselman & Pierce 50.0

6. VonAhnan & Dannic 50.0

7. Maas & Pierce 49.5

8. Schumacher & Allen 42.0

9. Spagnoli & Bauer 40.5

10. Kubenik & Leroy 39.0

11. Selthafner & Greenwald 36.5

12. Borowski & Borowski 29.5

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