- Society of Senior photo

Originally designed as a 96-man event, more than 150 SOS members entered in the hopes of grabbing a spot in the annual spring get-together. An eleventh hour agreement with the officials at OCN expanded the field to 140, utilizing the Panther Lake and Crooked Cat courses.

Rusty Strawn (McDonough, GA), riding a hot streak with recent victories at the SOS Ralph Bogart and the 2021 Golfweek Senior POY event was able to best Keith Decker (Martinsville, VA) on the first hole of sudden death for the win.

Strawn’s rounds of 71-70-72 –(213) was knotted with Decker’s 70-72-71 (213) after 54 holes. Strawn was one of 10 players breaking par on the tough Panther Lake course in the first round.

With the win, Strawn has taken an early lead in the AmateurGolf.com Senior Player-of-the-Year points race, with Decker in second. Strawn is up to #4 in the AmateurGolf.com Senior Ranking.

Other notable scores were Curt Coulter (Oakmont, PA) playing in his first SOS event with an opening 5-under 67, Greg Sanders (Anchorage, AK), Rick Woulfe (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), Stephen Maddalena (Jackson, MI) and Scott Smith (Houston, TX) all with 4-under par 68’s.

Sanders, Woulfe and Maddalena were able to finish at even par 216. Smith, Peter DeTemple (Callaway, MI) and Steve Harwell (Mooresville, NC) finished at two over218.

In the Super Senior Division Randy Elliott (Winter Park, FL) and Evan Long (Charlotte, NC) were tied at even par 216 after 54 holes. Elliott skied to a last round 76 while Long posted a 2-under par 70 to draw even. It only took one hole to decide the outcome, with Elliott making a par and Long three putting for a bogey. Marc Fried (Solon, OH), the 2020 SOS Super Senor Player of the year was alone in third with rounds of 73-74-70 (217). A group of three players were next at 219 including Emile Vaughan (Pike Road, AL), Steve Rogers (Bowling Green, KY) and William Everett (Hebron, NH).

In the Legend division, Jim Rollefson (Franklin, WI) posted rounds of 73-72-77 (222) one stroke ahead of Jupiter, FL’s Robert Currey alone at 223. It was Rollefson’s third SOS win.

Gerry Graham (Mesa, AZ) at 222 and a two shot win over Peter Jacobi (Arlington, VA) at 224. Walt Martin (St. Augustine, FL) was alone in third at 230.

The venerable Charlie Busbee (Stockbridge, GA) turned in rounds of 76-84-76 (236) for the Super Grand Master victory.

- Thanks to the Society of Seniors for this report.