(Photo by Bart Boatwright)
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Michael Mercier prevailed over Rick Cloninger in a three-hole playoff at the Chanticleer National Senior Invitational for his second win in two weeks. Mercier, of Rochester, N.Y., was victorious last weekend in the Senior division at the John T. Lupton Memorial Invitational.
Both players were tied entering the final round, along with Bill Leonard, at three-over par. But Mercier and Cloninger separated themselves from the pack with rounds of 69 on Friday to share first place by five. After pars on the first two holes, Mercier made his third par in a row to triumph over the Fort Mill, S.C. native.
Mercier's third round was bogey free, with birdies coming at 12, 13, and 15. Cloninger made a late-round surge to get into the playoff, birding three of his last four holes. Meanwhile Leonard, the other player in the final group, got off to a rough start with bogeys on three of his first four and doubles on 8 and 11.
Defending champion Steve Sharpe took solo third place at six-over 222 after shooting a final-round 74.
In the Super Senior division, Bob Desjardins edged David Crocker and Pete Allen for a one-shot win. Desjardins doubled the par-three 14th, but held on with closing pars on the last four holes. And in the Grand Master division, Don Wood shot a final-round 71 to win by six over Charlie Busbee.
This 54-hole championship is conducted at Greenville Country club's Chanticleer Course (a Rees Jones design), site of the annual Chanticleer National Four-Ball Tournament.
ABOUT THE
Chanticleer Senior Invitational
The Chanticleer National Senior Invitational started
in 2011 with the vision that it would provide a
superbly conditioned, very challenging course on
which to present a premier invitational tournament
for elite senior and super senior golfers recognized
for their playing accomplishments on a national and
international scale. The limited field is determined
from the pool of applicants with preference given to
players' performance in national and international
events as well as the current rankings. As an
integral
part of our vision, we provide extraordinary
hospitality and great value to both our players and
their significant others.
The Senior Division competition will be for players
55-64, as well as other
older qualified players who may desire to play in this
division. The Super
Senior division will be for players 65-70, as well as
other older qualified
players who prefer to play at Chanticleer. There will
be a cut after 36 holes.
As an option for Legends, we will host a separate
70+ Legends division at
our Riverside course provided we have a minimum
number of 16 players.
There will NOT be a cut.
View Complete Tournament Information