Senior Amateur Blog

Hole 17 - Par 3, 177 Yards
Tallent's tee shot went to the left and ended in a small collection area. He chunked his second shot into the fringe. Simson sent his tee shot onto the green, 30 feet from the hole. His uphill birdie attempt burned the edge of the hole. Tallent conceded Simson's 1-foot par putt for the match.
Simson wins, 2 and 1

Hole 16 - Par 4, 461 Yards
Simson sent his approach shot to the right, under a stand of trees. His punch out trickled over the green and then pitched on to 4 feet and made bogey. Tallent's long putt from the fringe hit the flagstick and stopped 3 feet from the hole. He converted for par to win the hole and extend the match.
Simson, 2 up and dormie

Hole 15 - Par 5, 512 Yards
Tallent pushed his 5-foot birdie putt and missed a golden opportunity to pull within two strokes. Simson missed his 8 footer for birdie after pitching from the right of the green. 
Simson, 3 up and dormie

Hole 14 - Par 4, 297 Yards
Simson hooked his drive to the left. He managed to pitch his ball over the trees to the fringe, 50 feet from the hole. He lagged his putt perfectly down the hill to 3 feet and converted for par. Tallent's approach from the right intermediate rough came to 15 feet from the hole. His birdie putt just skirted the left side of the hole, and his par was conceded.
Simson, 3 up

Hole 13 - Par 3, 153 Yards
Simson hit his tee shot to 45 feet and his birdie putt slipped 5 feet by on the right. Tallent's tee shot came within 6 feet and he converted his birdie putt to win the hole.
Simson, 3 up

Hole 12 - Par 4, 396 Yards
Tallent made a 5-foot par putt after missing from 35 feet for birdie. Simson lagged a 28-foot birdie attempt to 2 feet for a conceded par.
Simson, 4 up

Hole 11 - Par 5, 549 Yards
Simson hit his third shot to 18 feet, but his birdie putt came up 18 inches short. His par putt was conceded. Tallent hit his third from the left rough, short of the green. He pitched to 8 feet and holed the par putt.
Simson, 4 up

Hole 10 - Par 4, 409 Yards
Simson two-putted from 45 feet and converted for par. Tallent putted from the fringe and his putt from 20 feet just slid by the hole.
Simson, 4 up

Hole 9 - Par 5, 496 Yards
Both players were just short of the green in two. Tallent rolled his eagle putt 7 feet by the hole, and then missed his birdie on the left edge. Simson converted his 4-foot birdie attempt, his fourth of the front nine, to take a 4-up lead.
Simson, 4 up

Hole 8 - Par 4, 392 Yards
Tallent's approach came up short of the green, and his birdie putt went 6 feet past the hole. He then missed his par putt to the left. Simson hit his approach to 7 feet above the hole, missed his birdie putt and converted for par.
Simson, 3 up

Hole 7 - Par 4, 403 Yards
Simson made a birdie from 20 feet, while Tallent's pitch to 2 feet for par was conceded.
Simson, 2 up

Hole 6 - Par 3, 169 Yards
Simson sent his tee shot to within 10 feet of the hole, but missed his birdie putt. Tallent sent his tee shot to 7 feet, but also missed his birdie putt.
Simson, 1 up

Hole 5 - Par 4, 329 Yards
Simson sent a massive drive over the water and it landed 6 yards short of the flagstick. His bump-and-run shot hit the flagstick, stopped inches from the hole and was conceded for birdie. Tallent hit a wedge approach to the right fringe. He missed his 16-foot birdie attempt to the right.
Simson, 1 up

Hole 4 - Par 3, 181 Yards
Tallent sent his tee shot short and left of the green. His pitch came within one foot of the hole and was conceded for par. Simson's tee shot found the green, 75 feet short of the hole. He sent his birdie putt 8 feet past the hole, but converted his downhill par putt.
All square

Hole 3 - Par 4, 450 Yards
Tallent made his approach with a hybrid and came up approximately 50 feet from the hole. His birdie putt went 8 feet by the hole. Simson's long-iron approach came up just short of the green. He pitched to 5 feet and made his par putt.
All square

Hole 2 - Par 5, 542 Yards
Tallent squared the match with a 16-foot birdie putt. Simson's putt from 22 feet slid just to the right.
All square

Hole 1 - Par 4, 389 Yards
Simson hit his approach shot from the right intermediate rough to the fringe, 20 feet from the hole. He then converted his birdie putt. Tallent slid his 12-foot birdie attempt to the right of the hole.
Simson, 1 up

The two finalists have arrived at Lake Nona and are going through their final preparations before the scheduled 18-hole championship match for the 2010 USGA Senior Amateur Championship. Can't ask for better weather for a final. It's sunny and very pleasant in terms of temperatures and  humidity. The match gets underway at 9 a.m. EDT and we'll have hole-by-hole coverage.

I am starting to sound like a broken record when it comes to the weather, but we have another perfect day for golf at the 2010 USGA Senior Amateur. Not a cloud in the sky and comfortable temperatures. We should have a terrific final match between the top two seeds from stroke-play qualifying. Pat Tallent was the medalist by one stroke over Paul Simson. And the two golfers are quite familiar with each other. They were grouped together for qualifying and each shared medalist honors at this championship last year.

Tallent is trying to become the eighth medalist, and the first since 1987 (John Richardson), to win the Senior Amateur. Simson is looking for the trifecta -- he's already won the British and Canadian senior titles in 2010. I'm not sure someone has ever won all three in the same year before, so it would be quite a feat.

We'll have live hole-by-hole coverage on the web so stay tuned for that information. -- David Shefter

Very rarely in a match-play competition do the top two seeds survive and meet in the championship match. It's just hard to win five consecutive matches or play that consistently over seven rounds -- two stroke-play qualifying rounds and the ensuing five matches for a 64-player draw.

But at the 2010 USGA Senior Amateur, we've got the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds facing off for the title. Pat Tallent edged good friend Paul Simson by one stroke in the qualifying. But they start from scratch on Thursday morning and will duke it out for 18 holes to decided the title.

It should be great theater as both players are seasoned USGA veterans. But neither has ever appeared in a championship final. Simson had advanced to a pair of U.S. Mid-Amateur semifinals until Wednesday when he won two matches to get into the Senior Am final. Simson is a three-time Senior Am medalist and Tallent has earned that honor the past two years.

"[Paul] has won everything this year," said Tallent. "He and Chip Lutz are the two best seniors in the country. I got by Chip luckily today [in the semifinals]. Maybe I can beat Paul. It will be tough because he's a good player." -- David Shefter

What can I say about this weather that hasn't already been said this week. It's downright perfect again today. Bright sunshine and very comfortable temperatures. Lake Nona must have made a sweeheart deal with the golf gods because you could not ask for better conditions for a national championship than we've had this week for the Senior Amateur.

We are now down to the final eight competitors and interesting enough, four of the top five seeds remain. Medalist Pat Tallent, No. 2 seed Paul Simson, No. 4 seed Don Thames and fifth seed Chip Lutz have all survived. That's quite remarkable considering most match-play competitions rarely stay true to form when it comes to seeding from the qualifying rounds. That should make for some high-quality quarterfinal matches.

We've also come close to establishing a Senior Amateur record for extra-hole matches. Through the third round, we've already had 11 matches go overtime, which ranks second all-time. At The Farm in 2005, there were 13 extra-hole matches.

I also heard last night's "Sweet Sixteen" dinner hosted by Lake Nona was a success. ESPN college football analyst and Lake Nona member Lou Holtz was the guest speaker and Frank Ford III told me this morning he was outstanding. "He says more in two minutes than most of us do in a lifetime," said the Charleston, S.C., native who faces medalist Tallent this morning.

Lake Nona also has put up a small sign at the entrance to the community congratulating four of its international members on their European Ryder Cup victory. That group includes reigning U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, who clinched the winning point in his Monday singles match over 1999 U.S. Junior Amateur champion Hunter Mahan of the United States. Ian Poulter also secured a key point in posting a singles win. Peter Hanson and Ross Fisher were members of the team. -- David Shefter

Plenty of tight matches in the second round of match play today. So far, four of the five completed matches have gone the distance, but none have yet to go overtime. In one of the best finishes of the day, defending champion Marvin "Vinny" Giles drained a 33-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole to defeat Bev Hargraves, 1 up. On Monday, Giles made a 10-foot birdie putt on the 19th hole to oust Robin McCool. When he won last year at Beverly Country Club, Giles went at least 17 holes in all six of his matches. He beat John Grace in the final, 1 up, with a birdie at the 18th hole.

Medalist Pat Tallent also survived a 1-up decision over David Szewczul. Tallent will face Giles in the round of 16 this afternoon.

Rick Woulfe, who went 25 holes in his win on Monday, dropped a 2-down decision to past semifinalist Frank Ford III.

The only match so far that hasn't gone the distance was Don Thames' 4-and-3 win over Jim Knoll. It turns out that the two Northern Californians were at San Jose State together in the early 1970s and had not seen each other until this week. The Senior Amateur can often offer up reunions. At the USGA Men's State Team Championship a few weeks ago, South Carolina player Todd White reunited with David Hayes, who is now a member at Mayacama Golf Club, the site of the event. White was a seventh-grader on the Dorman High golf team in Spartanburg, S.C., when Hayes was a senior. The two had not seen each other for 28 years. -- David Shefter

It looks like our on-site meteorologist will be the loneliest guy at Lake Nona once again today as the second round of match play at the 2010 USGA Senior Amateur gets set to begin. Like the previous three days, there's not a cloud in the sky and just a gentle breeze wafting through the private community. We've had three absolutely perfect days for golf and today looks no different.

Some intriguing second-round matchups feature good friends Paul Simson of Raleigh, N.C., and Logan Jackson of Winston-Salem, N.C. The two have had dinner three times this week, but for a few hours on the course, that friendship will have to be put aside. Simson is the more decorated of the two golfers, having won three British Senior Amateur titles, including this year's event. He also won the Canadian Senior Amateur by 15 strokes.

Another interesting match features Northern Californians Don Thames of Rancho Murieta against Jim Knoll of Sunnyvale.

USGA Executive Committee member and Floridian Steve Smyers faces his second consecutive past Senior Amateur champion. He defeated George "Buddy" Marucci (2008) on Monday in 19 holes and today he faces Greg Reynolds (2002) of Grand Blanc, Mich.

With two rounds of match play scheduled today, we'll be down to the final eight competitors by dusk.

Lake Nona also is hosting the "Sweet Sixteen" dinner tonight at the club, which invited member and ESPN football analyst Lou Holtz to be a guest. Lake Nona also extended an invitation to three-time U.S. Women's Open champion and Lake Nona resident Annika Sorenstam, but she had not confirmed her attendance as of Tuesday morning. Reigning U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, who secured the winning point for Europe at the Ryder Cup on Monday and another Lake Nona member, will not be in attendance. He is remaining in Europe for the Dunhill Links Cup this week at St. Andrews. -- David Shefter

It was a good day for six of the seven Floridians who qualified for match play at the 2010 USGA Senior Amateur. Only Richard Pfeil of Naples lost his opening-round match on Monday at Lake Nona. In fact, Floridians went 4-for-4 in extra-hole matches, including USGA Executive Committee member Steve Smyers of Lakeland, who eliminated 2008 champion George "Buddy" Marucci of Villanova, Pa., in 19 holes.

Rick Woulfe of Ft. Lauderdale had the longest match of the day, going 25 holes to beat Chris Veitch of Newport Beach, Calif. Other extra-hole winners from Florida were Bruce Scamehorn of Winter Haven and David Anthony of Jacksonville.

Past U.S. Amateur champion Stewart Alexander of Gainesville also advanced with a 4-and-3 win over Larry Clark. -- David Shefter

For the last three nights, Paul Simson of Raleigh, N.C., has had dinner with good friend Logan Jackson of Winston-Salem, N.C. The two compete against each other frequently in state and regional competitions in the Carolinas.

Now they will have to face each other in the second round of the 2010 USGA Senior Amateur on Tuesday. Simson eliminated Curt Knorr of Atlanta, 6 and 5, while Jackson defeated another fellow North Carolinian Kim Mansfield of High Point, 4 and 3.

"You just have to isolate that," said Simson of putting aside the friendship for a few hours. "It’s just a match. He realizes that, I realize that. You just play as hard as you can. I don’t particularly care for playing people I know. I don’t like to play people I know because one of us will be going home tomorrow. That’s always a sad time." -- David Shefter

Lake Nona certainly is puffing its chest this week by hosting 156 of the best senior golfers for the 2010 USGA Senior Amateur, which has reached the match-play stage. Players have been raving about the quality of the golf course and the facilitiies.

But it also was a big moment for a couple of Lake Nona residents. U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell clinched the winning point for the European Ryder Cup Team on Monday at Celtic Manor in Wales, defeating Hunter Mahan, 3 and 1, to secure the 14.5-13.5 victory. Ian Poulter, another Lake Nona resident, also picked up a crucial point by earning a decisive 5-and-4 win over 1997 U.S. Amateur champion Matt Kuchar. -- David Shefter

The playoff has come to an end after four holes and 87 minutes of golf. Dave Bates of Newburgh, Ind., survived with a 3 at the par-3 13th hole after Gary Kirwan of McKinney, Texas, made a bogey. Bates will match up against medalist Pat Tallent in the first round.

The playoff will continue to the par-3 13th hole after Dave Bates and Gary Kirwan each made 4s at the par-4 12th hole.

Two more players have punched tickets into the match-play draw. Jon Groveman of Larchmont, N.Y., and Curt Knorr of Atlanta each bogeyed the par-4 eighth. Meanwhile, Dave Bates and Gary Kirwan each made 7s and are moving to the par-4 12th hole to decide the final match-play spot. That individual will face medalist Pat Tallent of Vienna, Va.

William T. Doughtie of Amarillo, Texas, a quarterfinalist in last year's Senior Amateur, has moved on to match play by making a 4 at the par-4 10th hole. Also making 4s were Charles Jones of Collegeville, Pa., Bill Caveness of Dallas, Texas and Thomas Nesbitt of Nashville, Tenn.

We are now down to a 4-for-3 playoff with all four golfers who made a 5 moving on. That list includes Gary Kirwan, Curt Knorr, Jon Groveman and Dave Bates. The next playoff is the par-4 eighth hole.

Three players earned a spot in the match-play draw from the second group of four players. Steven Whittaker of Becker, Minn., birdied the par-4 hole, while John Lindholm of Grand Blanc, Mich., and Christopher Veitch of Newport Beach, Calif., each registered 4s. One more group of four to come and then we'll move on to the next playoff hole.

Not a great start for the first three players involved in the 11-for-10 playoff for the final spots. Dave Bates, Jon Groveman and Curt Knorr all made bogey-5s. With so many available spots, all three players won't be eliminated, but anyone making a 4 or better among the next wave of eight will automatically get into the match-play draw.

Looks like we're going to have another Chamber-of-Commerce day at Lake Nona as the match-play portion of the 2010 USGA Senior Amateur is set to commence. Again there's not a cloud in the sky and just a gentle breeze this morning. The 11-for-10 playoff for the final match-play spots is set to begin on the 10th tee. The first match goes off at 9:30 a.m.

One interesting matchup has two-time USA Walker Cup player and two-time USA Walker Cup captain George "Buddy" Marucci of Villanova, Pa., taking on USGA Executive Committee member Steve Smyers of nearby Lakeland, Fla. Smyers also happens to chair the USGA's International Team Selection Committee, which selects the players for the Walker Cup, Curtis Cup and World Amateur Teams. You think there might be a little USGA talk in that match today?

We'll continue to update you on the playoff, so stay tuned to the blog. -- David Shefter

Because of the limited daylight, the playoff for the final match-play spots won't take place until Monday morning at 8:30 a.m. EDT. It will be a large playoff, but only one person will be eliminated as 11 golfers will vy for the final 10 match-play spots.

That group includes William T. Doughtie of Amarillo, Texas, who was a quarterfinalist last year, losing to eventual champion Marvin "Vinny" Giles. -- David Shefter

The cut at this year's Senior Amateur was at 8-over 152, and several high-profile players won't be around for match play, including two of last year's semifinalists. John Grace and John Pallin each posted 9-over 153 to miss by one shot. Also missing the cut were past champions Mike Bell and Kemp Richardson. -- David Shefter

Pat Tallent of Vienna, Va., is a member at Congressional Country Club, site of the 2011 U.S. Open, but most people won't find him there. At least on the golf course.

Tallent, who shot rounds of 71-70 to earn stroke-play medalist honors at the USGA Senior Amateur for a second consecutive year -- he shared the honor in 2009 -- rarely plays a casual round of golf. The only rounds he plays that don't count are practice sessions to prepare for competitions.

"I haven't played Congressional all year and I'm a member," he said on Sunday after the second of two stroke-play qualifying rounds at Lake Nona. "I just don't play that kind of golf. I play tournament golf. It puts you under the gun all the time. You get to see your name on the board. Nobody can come in and lie about what they shot.

"When you play regular golf, everybody shoots 65."

Tallent, a veteran of more than 20 USGA championships, estimates he plays two to three tournaments a month during the season. -- David Shefter

It's no secret Paul Simson loves stroke-play competitions. The Raleigh, N.C., resident won the Canadian Senior Amateur title this year by a whopping 15 strokes. He also won the British Senior Amateur and helped North Carolina tie for second at the USGA Men's State Team Championship. And he's been a past stroke-play medalist at the USGA Senior Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur.

But to win a first USGA amateur title, Simson knows he's going to have to produce six consecutive match-play wins, something he has not been able to accomplish during his long decorated career.

"In match play, there's a lot of luck involved because you can't play six really, really good rounds [in a row]," said Simson, after carding a 3-under-par 69 on Sunday at Lake Nona for a 36-hole stroke-play-qualifying total of 3-under 141.

Simson would love to take the 141 and play two more stroke-play rounds to determine the champion.

Unfortunately for him, that's not the way the USGA crowns its amateur champions.

"It could be a good week for anybody," said Simson. "All you have to do is make the cut. Everybody's equal starting [on Monday]. You just do the best you can and see what happens." -- David Shefter

A back injury has forced Bill Palmer of Bluffton, S.C., to withdraw from the Senior Amateur after 27 holes. Palmer made the turn on Sunday at two over for his round and nine over for the championship.

Chris Maletis of Portland, Ore., has withdrawn from the 2010 USGA Senior Amateur due to a back injury. Maletis opened stroke play on Saturday with a 5-over-par 77.

It's another glorious morning in central Florida for the 2010 USGA Senior Amateur at Lake Nona. Just like on Saturday, there's not a cloud in the sky and just a gentle breeze. By the end of the day, we should be down to our 64 players for match play. If a playoff is needed for the final match-play spots, that likely will take place on Monday morning due to the limited daylight at this time of year.

The projected cut is eight or nine over par.

Back with more later.

All of the competitors gathered at Lake Nona this week are vying to win the USGA Senior Amateur title. But that doesn't mean their minds are also focused on another sport -- namely college football.

Steve Smyers, who shot a first-round 74 on Saturday, planned to gather in front of a television with his wife and son to take in the Florida-Alabama game. Smyers played at Florida and his oldest son, Trent, is a junior.

After carding a 2-under 70 in the afternoon wave, Stanford Lee planned to catch the second half of the Louisiana State-Tennessee game. Lee, the 2007 champion, went to LSU.

But Robin McCool, who also shot a 70, wasn't going to stay up to watch his alma mater, Arizona State, take on Oregon State. The game is set for 10:30 p.m. EDT. He has an 8:03 a.m. starting time on Sunday.

"My wife and I are going to dinner and then bed," said McCool, who resides in Bethlehem, Pa. -- David Shefter

We've had another ace at the championship, this one coming on the front nine. Corliss Nelson of Dallas used his 6-iron to drop a hole in one at the par-3, 181-yard fourth hole. Nelson is playing in his second USGA championship, after missing the cut at the 2006 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship

Jeff Burda of Modesto, Calif., registered a hole-in-one at the 153-yard, 13th hole on Saturday with a 7-iron. According to the USGA Media Guide, it was the 16th recorded ace in Senior Amateur history. Burda shot a 3-over 74. The last hole-in-one recorded in this championship came in 2007 by Kim Schwencke at Flint Hills National Golf Club in Andover, Kan.

Everyone remembers Herbe The Love Bug, the adorable Volkswagen Beetle that was featured in several Disney movies, starting with the 1969 film The Love Bug.

But at Lake Nona this week, it's not a car creating the love but an omnipresent insect. Lovebugs are quite indigenous to this part of Florida, particularly in the late summer and early fall. And if you approach the Lake Nona clubhouse this week, you will see the black creatures attached to walls, columns and windows. Our media room was actually moved from the clubhouse to an adjacent building because of the critters.

Standing out by the second tee, I saw a swarm of lovebugs flying overhead.

What's interesting is that the adults only live for a few days. But even though they don't bite like mosquitoes, they are a nuisance. Makes you yearn for Herbie. -- David Shefter

The 2010 USGA Senior Amateur is underway here at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, Fla. We could not have more idyllic fall weather here in the Sunshine State. The sun is out and there is not a cloud in the sky. There is a very slight chance of an afternoon shower, but if Saturday is anything like Friday, we should get the entire day of golf in without any interruptions from Mother Nature.

Our media room offers a wonderful view of the 18th hole with Lake Nona just beyond. We probably will see a few matches this week come down to the finishing hole.

Back with more later. -- David Shefter