John Barry (Golf Association of Philadelphia Photo)

It never happened.

The 57-year-old of Lancaster Country Club and Lancaster, Pa. secured his first solo GAP career title after being on the cusp of Senior glory since turning of age. In 2021, he fell to Jeff Frazier, 2&1, in the Brewer Cup Final at Huntingdon Valley Country Club. Earlier this year, Barry tied Don Donatoni of White Manor Country Club for second in the Warner Cup Senior.

“That’s a long to wait for everyone to finish, so that chilled me out a little bit. It’ll hit me a little later,” said Barry, who has won two GAP partner events in the Four-Ball Stroke Play and Parent/Child-Middle. “I’m spending more time with my game playing on the senior level. It’s good to get a win here. I’ve had a few close ones. I’m trying to improve every day and stick to my routine and process. Winning any of these takes a little bit of luck.”

Barry, who teed off in the next to last group off the back side, made the turn in 1-over par. That’s when he created his own good fortune.

On No. 1 (par 5, 485 yards), after finding the left side of the fairway he ripped a 6-iron from 190 yards to three feet and an eagle. Two pars followed before, on No. 4 (par 5, 506 yards), Barry cracked a 4-hyrbrid from 210 yards to 30 feet below the hole. A smoother two-putt up the hill pushed him to 2 under.

He missed the green with his approach on No. 5 (par 4, 455 yards) for bogey but responded on Berkshire’s famous No. 7 (par 4, 324 yards) – the one with the three-tiered green. He crushed a drive to 60 yards before lifting a lob wedge to 12 feet. Most importantly, it stayed on the same, and proper tier, as the flag, the top one.

“I probably had 12 feet. It was straight downhill and breaking. It went in dead center. That was a great putt,” Barry said.

Two pars closed his round. It was off to a cart overlooking the ninth green for some rest and relaxation.

Mark Czerniakowski of LuLu Country Club, who played in the same pairing with Barry, and Joe Coulson of Wedgewood Golf Course tied for second at 1-under 70.

Barry’s been a Lancaster member his entire life. He was a caddie, a Junior golfer and early on, represented the club in the GAP Team Matches. Like many, family and business occupied a majority of his Middle-Amateur years, but those responsibilities have waned and he’s been Senior focused since turning 55. He’s placed near the top in a few Society of Senior events as well as the aforementioned GAP tournaments.

His competitors haven’t been the biggest 2023 hurdle though. It’s been a balky back. Barry underwent a rhizotomy procedure in April. A rhizotomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove sensation from a painful nerve by killing nerve fibers responsible for sending pain signals to the brain.

Barry missed about two weeks but has felt great every since.

A trophy proves that.

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