After a limited field event in Palm Desert, California, the Golfweek Senior Amateur Series rolls on down the street to PGA West in La Quinta, California, for a full-field event.
Winning the Golfweek Senior Division National Championship earlier this week was Jerry Gunthorpe. Having essentially only worked on his game on his home simulator, the Ovid, Michigan, native trekked out of the snow to pull off a come from behind victory on Tuesday.
Gunthorpe leads the pack of notable names in the field, with a handful of players from the 55-64 senior bracket staying in the area for this week’s championship.
Podium finishers Jerry Slagle and Billy Mitchell are among those looking to capitalize on their solid play in hopes to joining Gunthorpe in having to figure out a way to fit a trophy into their carry on luggage.
In the Super Senior division, Bob Kearney looks to gain on Golfweek Player of the Year points leader, Tim Vigotsky, who is not in the field this week. No.-5 ranked John Armstrong looks to make a big leap as well as the only other top-10 ranked player in the field.
Legend Don Donatoni currently holds a 100-point lead over Jim Rollefson in the 70-74 age bracket. With both teeing it up at PGA West this week, drama will surely unfold as the duo are matching up for an early season battle for supremacy. If either stumble, Mike Jackson lurks just 151 points behind Donatoni ready to hurdle the big board.
In the 75+ Super Legend division, five of the top-10 point getters have made the trip to shuffle up the standings. With 22 players in the field, it will be interesting to see who makes the biggest jump (or fall) in the early season standings.
The 54-hole stroke play event will be played at PGA West’s Pete Dye Dunes and the Mountains course with age-appropriate yardages ranging from 5,400 to 6,500 yards.
Each age division will compete within itself and four champions will be crowned. Each winner will earn 1,200 points towards their divisions respective year long race for Golfweek Player of the Year.
