by Alan Hoskins
A veteran and a relative newcomer swept the top honors in the 36th Annual Wyandotte County Senior Golf Championship at Sunflower Hills Golf Course Friday.
Jerry Reid had the day’s best round, a sizzling 3-under par 69, while Bill Sanders took low net honors with a 60 in the tourney that drew 111 seniors 55 years of age and older. The seniors competed in six age flights.
Reid’s low gross championship was his third and was fashioned on a half dozen birdies set up by precision iron play and an accurate putter. Four of the birdies came on a bogey-free front nine.
“I had six putts through the first six holes,” Reid said. “I got close on No. 2, chipped in on No. 3, made a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 7 and a 4-footer on No. 9.”
Ironically, he 3-putted Nos. 12 and 15 and failed to get up and down on No. 16 while birdieing No. 14 with a 15-foot putt and hitting a 90-yard pitching wedge to within a foot on the par 5 17th.
“Drove the ball well, kept almost everything in the fairway and my irons and putting were excellent,” Reid said.
Retired 15 years after a 17-year career as business manager at Kansas City Kansas Community College, Reid has been Sunflower Hills’ Player of the Year several times. He currently carries a 2 handicap.
At 56, Bill Sanders was playing in only the second WyCo Senior tourney that he was eligible.
“I got started off playing well and then started falling apart so I was glad to get to the last hole,” said Sanders, who shot a gross 89 with a 29 handicap.
Retired from the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department, Sanders is a regular in Sunflower Hills’ Wednesday Senior League. A lifelong KCK resident, he attended St. Peter’s Elementary School and Bishop Ward High School.
Bill Palmer came closest to shooting his age with a 74 while 93-year-old Frank Payne bettered his age with an 89. Flight winners were Ritch Nigh, Ed McFadden, Joe Carillo, Rick Richardson, Chris Blum and Palmer. Taking low net honors were Bob McNellis, Phil Jones, Steve Bock, Keith Johnson, Phil Stines and Joe Dercher.
36th WyCo Senior Flight Results
Senior Kids (ages 55-81) – 1. Ritch Nigh, 74; 2. Brad Burton, 75; 3. Chris Faddis, 76; 4. Ray Loya, 81. Net – 1. Bob McNellis, 64; 2. (tie) Todd Milberger, James Philpot, Greg Schmidt, 70.
Freshmen (62-65) – 1. Ed McFadden, 76; 2. Rick Egnatic, 78; 3. Wilson Winn, 80; 4. (tie) Craig McKinley, Scott Ramsey, 83. Net – 1. Phil Jones, 63; Tom Kanatzar, 67; 3. (tie) Bob Norris, Dave VanDerwell, Jerry Verbeck.
Sophomores (66-68) – 1. Joe Carillo, 79; 2. Randy Kancel, 82’ 3. Jim Christoph, 83; 4. Jerry Lamb, 84. Net – 1. Steve Bock, 69; 2. Dan Schmidt, 70; 3. Dave Pierce, 71; 4. Tim Cavlovic, 73.
Juniors (69-71) – 1. Rick Richardson, 77; 2. (tie) Bob Chatterton, Ray Gelser, Bob Janesko, 79. Net – 1. Keith Johnson, 66; 2. Scott Murphy, 70’ 3. Don McCann, 72; Doug Winkelbauer, 73.
Adults (72-75) – 1. Chris Blum, 79; 2. Roger DeLong, 80; 3. Bob Ulmer, 84; 4. Wayne Johnson, 88. Net – 1. Phil Stines, 70 (won scorecard playoff); 2. Tom Butler, 70; 3. Bud Thurston, 71; 4. (tie) Herschel Hendrix, Dan Sexton, 75.
Seniors (76 and over) – 1. Bill Palmer, 74; Dave Klein, 82; 3. Dale Moore, 85; 4. (tie) Richard Johnson, Dennis McWilliams, 88. Net – 1.Joe Dercher, 62; 2. Frank Payne, 70; 3. Tom Cooley, 71; 4. Kirk Witt, 73.
Proximity winners – Closest to the hole: Dale Moore, No. 4; Carl Roach, No. 8; Joe Sachan, No. 13; Ray Loya,. No. 16. Closest second shot – Rick Egnatic, No. 10; Tom Butler, No. 18.