Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
RICHMOND, IN -ÊWarsaw's Jerry Nelson has won the Indiana PGA Senior Open four times in the last 12 years. But he had never won the Indiana Golf Association Senior Amateur championship until Friday, when he won his first Senior Amateur title in a playoff at Forest Hills Country Club.
Nelson, who finished with a 9-over-par 151 in the two-round match, beat Munster's Melvin Selby in the playoff. Nelson shot a 74 in Thursday's first round and followed that with a 77 in Friday's final round.
"I have always wanted to win this one," Nelson, who joined the Indiana Golf Hall of Fame in 1995, said. "I have played a lot better in this tournament and not won."
Nelson and Selby entered the day tied for second place, one stroke behind Indianapolis' Boyd Hovde. They quickly overtook Hovde, who double-bogeyed the first hole in a struggle from the start. Hovde finished third.
Nelson took control on the 14th hole, which turned out to be the key to the championship.
On the hole, Nelson hit his second shot 25 feet away from the hole. He was shocked to see the ball on the green as he thought the ball had flown over the green. With Selby short of the green in two and looking like he would make a bogey, Nelson saw his chance. He sank the 25-foot putt, which had about three feet of break in it. The shot put Nelson one stroke ahead of Selby.
"That was the whole tournament right there," Nelson said. "I just wanted to two-putt, and it went in."
Nelson kept the one-stroke lead until the 18th hole, but then he hit what he called an "embarrassing shot." He pulled his third shot well left of the green and on a hill. Selby, who hit his third shot about 20 feet from the hole, two-putted and forced the playoff.
Both players were on the green in two in the playoff, but Nelson parred the hole, while Selby three-putted for a bogey to give Nelson the title.
With the win, Nelson receives an exemption into the 2001 Indiana Amateur Championship, which will be held at Otter Creek Golf Club in Columbus.
16TH IGA SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Sept. 14-15 at Forest Hills Country Club
in Richmond
Final results (leaders and locals listed)
Name RD 1 RD 2 Total +/-
1. Jerry Nelson (Warsaw) 74 77 151+9
2. Marvin D. Selby (Munster) 74 77 151+9
3. Boyd Hovde (Indianapolis) 73 81 154+12
24. Pat Speicher (Milford) 83 82 165+23
44. Steve Dodds (Syracuse) 84 87 171+29
Darwin Call (Warsaw) WD
Tom Heuer (Warsaw) 84 WD WD
Gene H. Stoffel (Syracuse) 92 WD WD
