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July 25, 2007

2007 Champions

Susan Zupnik, Kevin Hall and John Rush

Hall Sets Championship Record for First National Title

Kevin Hall of Cincinnati, Ohio, the number one deaf golfer in the world, closed out his week at Far Oaks in St. Louis in record style by setting the championship record score.  The previous record was held by Bill Roberts when the event was last played in St. Louis, the 1997 championships at Normandie Park.  Roberts mark of 10 under par was surpassed by 2 shots with Hall shooting scores of 68-69-71-68.  “No matter what happens the rest of my life, I will always have my name on the national championship trophy, and that is cool, said Hall in a press conference after the final round.  Doren Granberry was a distant second place with a total of 301 for four days.  Aside from Hall, Brandon Babineaux and Bill Roberts shared the best score in the final round, closing with even par scores of 72 each.

Rush Holds off Hard Charging Johnson on Final Nine

What looked like a comfortable lead was starting to slip away.  John Rush of Colorado entered the final round well in front of Neil Johnson.  But now the margin was getting much more close than Rush preferred.  Johnson had started a run of birdies and was now making the Senior Division interesting.  Unfortunately for Johnson he started his run too late and ran out of holes.  He played his last 10 holes in 4 under par to fall short of overtaking Rush by three shots.  Rush admitted to struggling the last day and that allowed Johnson to make the Senior Division a close finish.

Zupnik Wins Women's Title in Dramatic Playoff 

The most exciting finish of the championships occurred in the Women’s Division.  Susan Zupnik and Lauri Ponikiewski dueled over the final 36 holes then 3 playoff holes to determine the winner.  Zupnik had a large lead after the first two rounds and was cruising through seven holes of the third round.  Then she played her least favorite hole at Far Oaks, the 8^th.  “I call that my evil hole,” she said.  “I have made two sixes and now a ten!”

Her trouble began on the tee when she decided to be too aggressive and drive it across the creek that crosses the fairway.  She lost two balls and all of her lead there when Ponikiewski made a par.

The final round was back and forth with the lead changing every few holes.  Each player had a chance to win on the 72^nd hole, but neither could settle their nerves enough to convert their birdie putts.  So tied, they headed back to the tee on #18 again.  Both reached the green in regulation three shots, when Ponikiewski three putted it looked like the tournament was over.  Zupnik only had two feet for the championship.  “My legs were shaking over that putt,” said Zupnik.  Her stroke to win the tournament rolled by the right edge, leaving the crowd of about 100 spectators stunned.  The playoff went to the first hole and both players missed the green. Zupnik pitched weakly from 5o yards leaving her 20 feet for par.  Ponikiewski, from the right fringe chipped to 5 feet above the hole.  Needing to make her putt, Zupnik made an aggressive stroke and halfway to the hole she began to chase it down knowing it was in and leaped into the air when it dropped.  Now faced with a crucial downhill five footer to stay alive, Lauri calmly rolled it in and pumped her fist for the crowd.   Now going to the 17^th hole for the second time in an hour, Ponikiewski decided to try to shoot right at the pin which was tucked on a high point on the green behind a deep bunker.  The minute she hit the shot she knew it was off line.  Hitting a tree the hangs into the hole near the green, the ball came straight down into the long native grass area and was lost.  Zupnik, trying to play safe, miss hit her shot and landed in the front bunker.  Lauri hit her next ball short and right of the flag in the deep rough.  Susan exploded from the sand long and left herself a tough putt from 20 feet downhill.  If she hit it too hard it could roll past the flag, catch the slope and roll 40 feet from the cup.  Ponikiewski pitched to 8 feet and watched as Zupnik rolled her putt to within 3 feet.  Needing to make her putt, she missed and when Susan tapped in for bogey, the championship was hers.

U.S. Deaf Golf Association