Around the Green

Booker and Kirchner win respective divisions at South Senior Amateur

Spring– Mike Booker comes from behind to win the 2016 South Senior Amateur Championship by three strokes with a 3-under par 69 in the final round. In the Super Senior Division, Peter Kirchner held on to a share of the lead and won by three strokes with a final round 1-under par 71. This year’s championship was conducted on the Tradition Course at Cypresswood Golf Club, north of Houston in Spring.
 
Booker, of The Woodlands, won his ninth TGA Championship by three strokes with a 36-hole total of 3-under par 141. After an opening round even par 72, Booker trailed Ivan Lawson by two strokes coming into today’s final round. Booker got off to a good start and was 1-under through his first three holes. He would give the stroke right back on the par four fourth hole. Booker was able to recover quickly and made two more birdies on his way to a 2-under par 34 on his first nine.
 
Booker dedicated his great play to the amount of golf he has played over the past week. “Last week I played in my club’s Match Play event. That gave me a chance to practice and play and I felt a little sharper than usual coming into this week. It’s a great golf course that rewards good shots. It was a great field that had a lot of good scoring.”
 
Booker finished his final nine holes with birdies on both of the par fives and a bogey on the par three 14^th hole for a second nine 1-under 35.
 
Booker previously won the South Senior Amateur Championship in 2012 at the Club at Falcon Point in Katy.
 
Finishing in a tie for second place are San Antonio’s Bobby Baugh and Scott Smith, of Houston. Both players entered the final round at 1-under par 71 and finished at even par 144 for the two days. First round leader Ivan Lawson, of Cypress, finished in solo sixth at 3-over par 147.
 
Kirchner, of Spring, claimed the Super Senior Division with a 36 hole total 2-under par 142. Kirchner held on to his share of the lead and won by three strokes over Marshall Utterson, of Houston, and Tom McGraw, of Montgomery, who finished at 1-over par 145.
 
Kirchner also won the Super Senior Division in 2012 at the Club at Falcon Point.
 
Top 15 and ties in the Senior Division have earned an exemption into this year’s Texas Senior Amateur Championship at Escondido Golf & Lake Club on September 9-11^th. Top 10 and ties in the Super Senior Division have earned an exemption into next year’s Texas Super Senior Amateur Championship.
 
The Texas Golf Association would like to thank the Cypresswood Golf Club membership, professional staff and maintenance staff for being a fantastic host for the South Senior Amateur Championship.
 
The final South Regional Series Event of the season is the South Amateur Championship. The South Amateur Championship will be held at Wolfdancer Golf Club in Lost Pines, on August 5-7^th.
 
For complete results and information, please click here.