Hiddenbrooke GC April 30 – May 1
May 1, 2007
Bowen Grabs NCGA Senior Title
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VALLEJO – To Bill Bowen, humility is a second language: “I played with some great players the last two days; I was just trying to stay out of their way.” After capturing the NCGA Senior Championship Tuesday, Bowen placed himself squarely in the way and on top of a highly-competitive tournament.
Coming into the final round, the Lincoln resident stood three shots back of first-round leader Greg Futch of Santa Rosa (who faded due to an eight-over-par front nine in the final round). But Bowen was able to follow his opening-round, one-under 71 with another steady 71 on a very windy 6,205-yard, par-72 Hiddenbrooke GC. The Lincoln Hills member bogeyed the par-3 17th hole to fall into a tie with runner-up Shelton Washburn, but was able to claim the championship by stiffing his third shot into the closing par 5. The ensuing two-foot putt gave Bowen a one-stroke win and more importantly, an exemption into the State Senior Championship in June, the champion’s goal coming into the week.
“I was just trying to hit the best shot I could,” Bowen said regarding his pitch shot that set up the win. “I thought I might have lost it when I bogeyed 17.”
Runner-up Washburn suffered two costly three-putt greens on the back nine that ultimately kept him out of the winner’s circle, but enjoyed his experience. “I like the way the NCGA presents golf for seniors,” the Novato resident and StoneTree and Meadow Club member said. “There’s practically an event every week to play in that is part of the points program.”
The NCGA Senior Championship unofficially kicks off the points race which determines the Player-of-the-Year Award, and with the winner and runner-up in the 2006 race (Gary Vanier and Bob Rowland respectively) not in the field, that race will be interesting to watch unfold throughout the summer.
Third place was earned by Butte Creek’s Carl Selkirk, who had a hot start in 2007 with a win at the San Francisco City Senior. Selkirk was three shots back of the champion.
The Super-Seniors division, for golfers aged 65 and older, was won by Granite Bay’s David Ellis. Second was shared by Bob Fries of Fort Washington, Bob Heaton of Antioch and Wayne Sleppy of Ancil Hoffman.
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Final Results
| Bill Bowen | The Lincoln Hills Club | 71-71–142 |
| Shelton Washburn | Meadow Club | 73-70–143 |
| Carl Selkirk | Butte Creek CC | 73-72–145 |
| Mark Miller | Roddy Ranch | 73-74–147 |
| John Enright | The Olympic Club | 72-76–148 |
| Marshall Raymer | Castlewood CC | 73-75–148 |
| Frank Abbott | Silverado CC | 76-73–149 |
| Lou Alvarez | Black Oak GC | 71-78–149 |
| Douglas Johnson | Fig Garden GC | 71-78–149 |
| David Ellis | Granite Bay GC | 76-74–150 |
| Herb Jensen | Del Paso CC | 74-76–150 |
| David Kinser | Almaden CC | 74-76–150 |
| Thomas Lyons | Castlewood CC | 76-74–150 |
| David Carroll | Silverado CC | 77-74–151 |
| Robert Reed | Castlewood CC | 78-73–151 |
| Earl Stewart | Meadow Club | 75-76–151 |
| Jeff Early | Castlewood CC | 78-74–152 |
| Robert Heaton | Antioch GC | 77-75–152 |
| Lee Jeberjahn | San Luis Obispo CC | 70-82–152 |
| Gary Shemano | Lake Merced GC | 76-76–152 |
| Ken Slasor | Pacific Grove GL | 76-76–152 |
| Wayne Sleppy | Ancil Hoffman GC | 75-77–152 |
| Rob Thompson | Merced GCC | 71-81–152 |
| Bob Fries | Fort Washington GCC | 74-78–152 |
| Greg Olson | Gold Hills CC | 75-77–152 |
| Alan Schneider | Harding Park GC | 75-77–152 |
| Greg Futch | Santa Rosa GCC | 68-85–153 |
| Bud Christians | Roseville GC | 80-73–153 |
| Ford Heath | Riverside GC of Fresno | 78-75–153 |
| Frank Pieper | Monterey Peninsula CC | 77-76–153 |
| Bruce Swanson | Roddy Ranch | 77-76–153 |
| Tom Lewandowski | Rancho Murieta CC | 77-77–154 |
| Charles Richesin | Woodbridge GCC | 74-80–154 |
| Michael Davis | Serrano CC | 77-78–155 |
| Bob Fleming | Sacramento GC | 77-78–155 |
| Dick Lahey | Meadow Club | 78-77–155 |
| James Sullivan | Pasatiempo GC | 79-76–155 |
| Tony Wilmer | Castlewood CC | 78-77–155 |
| Ed Anderson | Butte Creek CC | 78-78–156 |
| Kirk Holtze | Stonetree GC | 80-76–156 |
| Jon Jew | Valley Hi CC | 78-78–156 |
| R. F. Martin | Plumas Lake GCC | 80-76–156 |
| Thomas Hitchcock | Harding Park GC | 78-79–157 |
| Chris McKenna | Sunset Whitney CC | 78-79–157 |
| Thomas O’Grady | Los Altos GCC | 74-83–157 |
| Bob Schoenherr | Rooster Run GC | 77-80–157 |
| Terry Coffee | Winchester CC | 86-72–158 |
| Rex Massier | Green Valley CC | 78-80–158 |
| Gregory Saiki | Sunnyside CC | 79-79–158 |
| Ronnie Wiley | Mariners Point Linksters GC | 79-80–159 |
| John Cahoon | Sharon Heights GCC | 79-80–159 |
| Charles Beesley | Contra Costa CC | 83-77–160 |
| Gary Conti | De Laveaga GC | 81-79–160 |
| Michael Flood | Discovery Bay CC | 79-81–160 |
| Robert Luff | Adobe Creek GC | 77-83–160 |
| Dick Dallagiacomo | Tierra Oaks | 83-78–161 |
| Robert Frey | De Laveaga GC | 77-84–161 |
| Thomas Marks | Sacramento GC | 78-83–161 |
| William McClintock | Gilroy GC | 80-81–161 |
| Dave Parsons | Chardonnay GC | 78-83–161 |
| Paul Balbas | Ridgemark GCC | 75-86–161 |
| Barry Brady | Gilroy GC | 82-80–162 |
| Mark Farina | Pacific Grove GL | 79-83–162 |
| Dale Howell | Sunnyvale GC | 80-82–162 |
| Bill Sonnenberg | Meadow Club | 80-82–162 |
| James Dalton | Saratoga CC | 78-85–163 |
| Jay Guerin | Alameda GC | 81-82–163 |
| David Hemrick | Spring Hills GC | 78-85–163 |
| Don Mancebo | Merced GCC | 76-87–163 |
| Neal Pearson | Orinda CC | 77-86–163 |
| Larry Riis | Petaluma GCC | 79-84–163 |
| William Snell | De Laveaga GC | 79-84–163 |
| James Manzi | Moraga CC | 83-81–164 |
| Marshall Petersen | Riverbend GC | 78-87–165 |
| Bob Green | Pasatiempo GC | 86-81–167 |
| Mike Shea | Monterey Peninsula CC | 82-85–167 |
| Dale Welin | Discovery Bay CC | 81-86–167 |
| James Clarke | San Luis Obispo CC | 87-81–168 |
| Joe Alvarez | Gleneagles International GC | 78-91–169 |
| Andy Wilcox | San Francisco GC | 85-85–170 |
| Raul Perez | Spring Creek GCC | 84-87–171 |
| Kent Newmark | Orinda CC | 85-90–175 |
| Don Miskin | Windsor GC | 90-86–176 |
| Gerry Henley | Russo-Cardinale GC | 90-90–180 |