Paul Simson (CGA photo)
BURLINGTON, N.C. (Sept. 26, 2018) -- Paul Simson of Raleigh has another CGA trophy to “add to his arsenal,” as he put it, after capturing the title at the 11th North Carolina Super Senior Championship hosted at Alamance Country Club in Burlington. Simson is not only a Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame member, but he also holds the record for all-time CGA championships.
“Is this 34 or 35 championships?” Simson asked.
It’s 35 and he’s not likely to stop there.
“Well, I can tell you, it never gets old,” Simson said. “I worked very hard today to win. It was a really, really solid day and tournament for me. I’m really pleased with the way I’ve been playing.”
Simson has a lot to pleased with from his final round. Simson’s 2-under 69 consisted of 18 greens in regulation which led to three birdies and only one bogey.
He began the day with a one-shot cushion but found himself two down after seven holes to his competitor and friend, Don Detweilerof Raleigh.
A birdie on the 12th hole put Simson within one shot of Detweiler. Simson made a 25-foot putt for birdie on the 13th hole to get back to even. Detweiler bogeyed the two par threes on the back nine to give Simson the lead. A birdie on the par-5 17th got Detweiler back within one but a par on the 18th hole would result in a second place finish.
Ray Womack of Burlington started the day just one shot off the lead. He got his final round off to a solid start with three birdies in his first six holes. He was able to make two more birdies on the back nine but came up one shot short to finish tied for second place at 5-under total for championship.
Simson has some history at Alamance Country Club. In 1991, he won the North Carolina Amateur there against radio-show host, John Maginnes. That year he’d go on to win the Carolinas Amateur and the Carolinas Mid-Amateur.
“Winning at Alamance is where it all started,” Simson said. “I’ve always seemed to have great success at Donald Ross courses. I’ve won close to half my championships on them. I tend to shoot for the center of the greens on Ross courses because of the penalty for missing any side but something just fits my eye as far as his golf courses are concerned.”
Detweiler and Simson will team up at the 7th Super Senior Four-Ball hosted at the Country Club of South Carolina on October 8-9.
Two-time CGA Champion, John Walters of Charlotte, N.C., came from behind today firing a 3-under 68 to win the 70+ Division of the N.C. Super Senior Championship.
Walters’ first round was similar to Simson’s second round in the fact that he hit 16 greens, made 17 pars and only had one bogey. The bogey was the result of a three putt on the par-3 14th hole.
Walters’ second round seemed to start off similarly to his first. He began the round two shots back from the day one leaders and started off with seven straight pars.
“That’s when the flood gates opened up,” Walters said.
Walters made five birdies in his next seven holes and would eventually win by one shot over Alan Dirk of Pittsboro and Terry Rathman of Gastonia.
“Well, it means a lot to me to win,” Walters said. “Paul Simson has won so many of them and everyone he wins is important to him. Every one I can manage to compete in and win, is really important to me too.”
ABOUT THE
North Carolina Super Senior
Open to any male golfer 65 and older, a resident of
North Carolina, a member of a CGA member club,
and an index that does not exceed 9.9.
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