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Golf

Clearwater's Saxon reaches match play in Senior Amateur

The defending national champ defeated Clearwater's Frank Saxon in last week's USGA Senior Amateur Championship in Georgia.

By Times Staff
Published September 27, 2005

Saxon, 56, overcame a major hurdle to qualify for the 156-player field, then shot 76-76 to secure a spot among 64 golfers in match play.

That is where he met Wisconsin's Mark Bermowski , who was seeded third and reached match play with 71-68.

Saxon played even through eight holes with a birdie on the par-5, 581-yard eighth where he pitched an 8-iron up to 4 feet and sank the putt.

"I didn't play as well on the back nine, and that's where he started to pull away from me,' said Saxon, a County Golf Association member.

"Most of these men are accomplished golfers and all business, as my opponent was," Saxon said. "I played well off the tee and with my irons, but I missed too many putts. Still, I would have had to play my Sunday best to win."

Saxon said he was relaxed against Bermowski since the toughest part of the tournament was qualifying in a pressure-packed playoff with four others for the last three match-play positions.

Saxon finished his second round just after noon on Sept.18, then had to nervously wait until nearly 7 p.m. to see if he made the cut. Pars on the first two holes enabled Saxon to make the grade.

"That's where all the pressure was for me," he said. "First the wait, then the playoff itself.

"All in all, it was a great experience. In fact, I've just about made up my mind I'm going to enter it again next year when the tournament will be in Indiana.

"In the meantime, I'm going to look into fine tuning some of my equipment - maybe with lighter irons after I've tested them," Saxon said. "Overall, I'm optimistic about playing at this level."

MEN'S INTERCLUB: Cove Cay won the opening match of the 2005-06 Pinellas League season.

Playing at the Vinoy, Cove Cay shot 6-under its quota to outscore East Lake, Innisbrook and Lansbrook in the competition of 12 county clubs.

Jim Moore and Bill Sanders of the Bayou Club had the best two-man score (61). They finished one stroke ahead of the Vinoy's Randy Moss and John Lefors and Belleair's Jim Slattery and Bob Boyle .

In low-pro play, Lansbrook's Stephen Roach and Countryside's Chris Slattery tied for first (71).

The next match is scheduled for Oct.6 at Dunedin Country Club.

COUNTY GOLF: Vic Morelli of Clearwater captured low-gross honors with a par 72 in the CGA match at Cheval on Sept.19.

In the senior division, Wayne Banting (76) tied with Malcolm Griffith . Wayne Brozovich prevailed with a net 67.

WEST COAST WOMEN: Judy Schmitt of River Wilderness captured a share of first after a tie with Walden Lake's Jackie Currier in Flight AA of a Sept.15 match at Cypress Run.

Host club member Vickie Stafford (86) tied for third with Susan MacGill of Northdale.

LARGO SCRAMBLE: In the Sept.17 match, 12-under 50 won for Mike Kuykendall , Dino Daminato , Don Crotty and Lee Risner .

COMING UP: The Richard Quarterson Memorial Scramble is scheduled for Oct.7 at Crescent Oaks.

The event is a fund-raiser to buy two buses for Skycrest Christian. Mr.Quarterson served as principal at the school he founded in 1971. He died of caner in July.

For an entry form or sponsorship information, call Pam Dingus , (727) 797-1186.

[Last modified September 27, 2005, 02:45:31]