66th Senior Four-Ball Stroke Play

Bell/Korcuba take Senior; Donatoni/Rothaus win SS

BERNVILLE, Pa.– James Bell, III and Mike Korcuba were introduced to each other by Bob Doria, Medford Village Country Club’s longtime general manager. They began teaming up for competitive senior events after Korcuba became age eligible late last August. Wednesday at Heidelberg Country Club (par 72, 6,040 yards) in the 66th Senior Four-Ball Stroke Play, the duo secured its maiden victory.

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Bell, of Makefield Highlands Golf Club, and Korcuba, of Medford Village, won a scorecard tiebreaker against Bob Bechtold and Pete Moran. Both teams finished at 5-under-par. The USGA recommends breaking ties in stroke-play tournaments by matching scorecards using the last nine, six, three and one holes in sequential order. Bell and Korcuba posted a 32 on the back nine, compared with Bechtold (Fieldstone Golf Club) and Moran’s (French Creek Golf Club) 33.

To finish the Doria note, he was the Makefield Highlands Head Professional/General Manager prior to Medford Village. He and Bell are close friends.

“We see things the same way. We don’t get crooked on each other,” said Korcuba, 56, of Winslow, N.J.

Added Bell, 60, of Newtown, Pa., “[Mike] is a little more intense than I am. He is a solid player. He doesn’t miss too many shots and is a good putter. I’m not as intense. We seem to work together.”

You don’t say?

The pair started on the back nine and built some sustained momentum starting on No. 12 (par 4, 375 yards) courtesy of a 10-foot par putt Korcuba save.

Two holes later, the red-figure bushel basket started.

Bell drained birdie putts on Nos. 14 (par 4, 355 yards), a 20-footer, and 15 (par 4, 400 yards), an eight-footer. Korcuba added to the team efforts a hole later. On No. 17 (par 4, 361 yards), he lifted a 7-iron from 156 yards to the uphill green complex to seven feet and made it. On No. 18 (par 5, 518 yards), Korcuba knocked a 54-degree wedge from 100 yards to 15 feet. Most importantly, the approached stopped on the same, proper level as the hole, which was on the back shelf. That made the putt a relatively level attempt.

The front side was pretty pedestrian. Both missed the second green, (par 3, 167 yards) and posted a team bogey. They called it, “The worst swings of the day.” Korcuba made a birdie on No. 5 (par 4, 360 yard) with a gap wedge from 118 yards to seven feet.

Korcuba then struck the would be decisive blow. On No. 9 (par 5, 505 yards), he ripped a majestic 3-wood from 242 yards, uphill, that stopped 40 feet short of the cup. He knocked in a three-footer for a four.

Bechtold and Moran each had birdie attempts on No. 18. Moran left a 20-footer up the hill short. Bechtold’s six footer rolled by the edge.

Bell and Korcuba have been close to the winner’s circle a few times this year. The two were part of a team that finished second with Medford Village Professional Christian Simms in the 52nd Annual Casa de Campo Pro-Am in January at Casa de Campo Resort, Dominican Republic. In June, the two and partners finished fourth in GAP’s Senior Four-Man Team at North Hills Country Club.

Super-Senior

In the Super-Senior Division, the decorated duo of Don Donatoni and Brian Rothaus finished 5-under, a shot clear of the field. It was their first victory as a team in this event. Donatoni won the Super-Senior Better-Ball four others times (2015-17, 2019) with partner Carl Everett. Current GAP President Ken Phillips and Immediate Past President Oscar Mestre, playing with Donatoni and Rothaus, placed second.

Heidelberg played to a par 70 at 5,659 yards for the Super Seniors.

Donatoni and Rothaus have opposite personalities, but a common focus on the course.

Each carried their side for a nine. On the front, Donatoni’s score was used on seven of the nine holes. On the second nine, the team counted Rothaus’ tallies six times.

Donatoni started hot. On No. 2 (par 3, 115 yards), he lifted a 7-iron to 10 feet and then added a 58-degree wedge from 72 yards on No. 3 (par 4, 310 yards) for two birdies. Rothaus picked the team up on No. 5 (par 4, 305 yards) when he walked in a 15-footer for a three. A great par by Donatoni on No 6 (par 4, 375 yards) after almost driving it out-of-bounds carried into a Rothaus 8-iron on No. 7 (par 4, 351 yards) from 140 yards that stopped 15 feet from the cup. Tweet. Tweet.

The team’s fifth birdie, No. 9 (par 5, 480 yards), was almost bonus. Donatoni’s drive found some trouble in a bush, but he whacked a 7-wood straight and true between a gap in the trees. He then lifted a 9-iron from 130 yards to 20 feet. The last circle on the card came on No.12 (par 4, 358 yards) when Donatoni lofted a pitching wedge from 125 yards to two feet.

“It’s always special to win with a good buddy,” said Donatoni, 78, of West Chester, Pa. “When I’m paired with Brian, I feel like we can play freely.”

“I was just trying to get an invitation to the GAP Player’s Dinner,” said an affable Rothaus, 70, Margate, City, N.J., “so I can clap for Don.”

Donatoni earned an invitation to the year-end celebration dinner with a victory in the Super-Senior Amateur Championship a couple weeks ago. It was his 20th GAP Super-Senior individual title, a GAP record. Additionally, he has won eight Super-Senior Silver Cross Awards, including this year’s, and nine Super-Senior Player of the Year trophies. He is the current Super-Senior Player of the Year Standings leader.

The two have found success in other local invitationals and Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association events. They also won the Pennsylvania Golf Association Super-Senior Better Ball in 2022 at Colonial Golf & Tennis Club.