2021 Tournament Summary

Evansville Senior City Golf Championship
June 5 & 6, 2021
Fendrich and Helfrich Golf Courses

Clutch 6-Footer Gives Turpin First Senior City Crown

Dave Turpin told himself, “I’ve done this a thousand times, just knock this in and let’s go get something to eat”, as he approached a six-foot putt for par on the 18th hole at Helfrich. “I felt a calmness and knew I had to hit it hard up the hill”. It went in and he claimed the 20th Evansville Senior City Championship by one shot over Troy Schreiber and two over Tim Weiss.

The first round on Saturday at Fendrich marked four players who broke par led by Troy Shreiber at 67, Tim Weiss and Dave Turpin at 68 and Mike Schapker 69. Troy had an up and down round featuring six birdies while the other three had steady rounds with 3-4 birdies offset with just a bogey or two.
At Helfrich on Sunday Troy started with a birdie at the first and maintained a 3-shot lead through much of the front nine. A bogey at #8 and a birdie at #9 by Weiss reduced his lead to one as they headed to the back nine. Turpin settled down after a double bogey on #2 with a birdie at the 3rd and a great par on #4 after his tee shot hit the trees in front of the tee. During this stretch he kept telling himself to stay in the moment and go hole by hole. There is weather coming in and anything can happen. “This is Tournament Golf you have to settle everything down…..things are spinning so fast” he said. From then on he played very steady.

After a bogey at #10 Schreiber was tied with Tim at -2 and Dave was one back. Mike Schapker at even par after the front also bogeyed #10 and although playing very steady golf could not muster enough of a charge on the back to get closer than 2 shots of the lead. The 13th hole proved to be critical for Dave as he was the only one of the final threesome to birdie the hole which pulled him even at -2. “It was crucial”, he said, “because it gave me the tee box. I was able to go up and put my glove on and hit the tee shot without having to wait. I never lost the honors the rest of the way”.

Schreiber bogeyed #14 to drop back one shot but Tim, playing steady golf, ran in a 25-footer for par to remain in a tie. After all parred 15 and 16, Turpin knocked in a 12 footer for birdie on #17 and Tim made bogey after a flyer from the right rough air-mailed the green and he just missed a 15-footer for par. “All of a sudden I went from being tied to having a 2-shot lead with just one to play”, Dave said. “Now I’m hyped to go hit the tee shot on 18.” “I hit it down the middle and had 109 yards to the pin. I could feel the adrenalin and knew my wedge would fly the green so I dropped back a club and hit my 50* to the middle of the green. That was the winning shot in my mind.”

On the green Turpin was first to putt and hit his worst lag putt of the day leaving it 6 feet short. Then Troy rolled in a birdie putt from 12 feet and all of a sudden Turpin has to make the 6-footer that is slow and a left-to-righter…….the worst putt for a right-hand golfer to have to make. The rest is history.
“I was glad Troy made his birdie because that meant my putt meant everything. Its why we play tournament golf. I’m not sure that those who don’t play in tournaments get it. That is where we want to be. In the spotlight with the game on the line. To make a clutch putt to win such a prestigious tournament over some of my best friends and long-time golfing buddies is what it’s all about.”
Tim Weiss who was tied for the lead for the overall championship until the next to last hole shot rounds of 68 and 72 for a 140 (-1) total and won the Frances Flemming (50-54) flight by seven shots over Ron Nelson and Dirk Brinker. Dave Turpin was the only player in the field to break par on Sunday shooting 70 to win the Dan Scism award for the low round on Sunday.

Although Troy Schreiber, the 2019 Champion, birdied the last hole and fell one shot short of the overall prize he managed to win the Billie Martin (55-59) flight by 3 stokes over Scott Hastings who carded rounds of 72-71 (+2) for the tournament. Chris Bartnick finished third at 148. Troy’s 67 on Saturday earned him the Sam Stucke award for medalist of the first round.

The Bob Hamilton (60-64) flight was won by Mike Schapker who was 4th overall after shooting rounds of 69-72-141 (even par). Robert “Eddie” Prevo finished 2nd at 150 and John Kaposta was 3rd at 153.
Robin Rubrecht once again prevailed in the Richie Moore (65-69) flight with a score of 143 (+2), 8 shots better than second place Britt Reddington at 151. Stan Bealmear and Richard Wigginton tied for third with a score of 156.

The Ed Wolf (70-74) flight was won by Dave Bates who shot a 4 over par total of 145 defeating Tony Hill by 2 strokes and Joe Hahn by 3. Pete Weinert shot 73 on Sunday for a 151 total good for 4th. This was the eighth Senior City flight win for Bates.

Don Shull easily won his seventh Senior City flight championship capturing the Don Partridge (75+) flight with rounds of 70-73-143 (+2). James Harris finished tied for second with Steve Schroer at 157 and Reid Schnell finished forth with a 160 total.

Players to shoot their age were Don Shull 70F and 73H (for the unofficial Evansville golfing record of 586 times), James Harris 75F/82H, Steve Schroer 76H, Reid Schnell 78F, Dave Bates 71F, Tony Hill 73F, and Mike Hurt 72H.