Laurel Creek’s Russo, Walker take Senior Four-Ball title

TELFORD, Pa.–Joe Russo defeated Mark Walker for the Laurel Creek club championship last week. Tuesday, the foes turned teammates and united at Indian Valley Country Club (par 72, 6,533 yards), to win the 54th Senior Four-Ball Stroke Play.

  Russo and Walker’s 5-under-par 67 bested a field of 28 teams. Roc Irey of Lookaway Golf Club and Steven Lucas of Concord Country Club placed second at 3 under. Three teams tied for third at 2 under.

  “We set a goal of 6 under,” said Walker, 56, of Marlton, N.J. “With Joe joining Laurel Creek this year it’s really been competitive at our golf course. We knew we would be a pretty strong team. Joe hits it a mile and I almost hit it a mile. We tried to go without any bogeys.”

  Added Russo, 55, of Washington Township, N.J., “We played well. When the other guy was out of a hole the other was right there. We made some putts. It wasn’t easy out there though. The greens were tough.”

  Russo and Walker posted five birdies and no blemishes.

  Russo and his length reached No. 3 (par 5, 487 yards) in two strokes and made an easy 4 to start a string of red figures. Walker added a strong 5-iron on No. 5 (par 4, 415 yards) to seven feet and the pair turned in 2 under.

  Russo opened the back nine with a sand wedge from 86 yards to five feet for birdie on the 10th (par 4, 365 yards) to move the group to 3 under. Irey and Lucas and the Tavistock pair of Bob Arthur and Michael Sieck also were 3 under at the same time. However, Russo and Walker clinched a second 2013 team victory with birdies on Nos. 16 (par 3, 151 yards) and 17 (par 4, 378 yards). Russo cut a 7-iron on No. 16 to eight feet and drained the putt for a fantastic 2 and then stole his partner’s thunder on No. 17 by sinking a 15-foot birdie. Walker was eyeing a three-foot birdie try.

  Russo and Walker are no strangers to the winner’s circle. The two won the Capital Cup at Trenton Country Club earlier in the year.

  Russo’s Laurel Creek Club Championship was his 13th overall (seven at Wedgwood Country Club and five at Running Deer Golf Club). Walker has an amazing 27 with seven of those at Laurel (five regular and two senior).

  Irey and Lucas emerged as the closest pursuers but failed to sink any in a string of oh-so-close birdie putts from holes 13-16.

  “It’s always a good time when you are playing with your best friend of 30 years,” said Irey, 61, of Furlong, Pa. “It was a coulda, woulda, maybe round.”

  In the Super-Senior Division, for players 65 and older, Charles Whipple and Robert Peterman of Huntingdon Valley Country Club defeated Carl Everett of Merion Golf Club and Mike Rose of Talamore Country Club in a scorecard playoff. The tiebreaker, as recommended by the USGA, is total score for the last nine holes.

  Both teams finished tied at 1-under par.

  Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 143 Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. As Philadelphia’s Most Trusted Source of Golf Information, the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.