St. Davids GC’s Jay Howson, Jr. caps Super season

  The Golf Association of Philadelphia 2009 Super-Senior calendar will be remembered as the Year of Howson.

  Jay Howson, Jr. of St. Davids GC completed a dominant campaign, winning both the Senior Amateur Championship Super-Senior Division and Super-Senior Silver Cross Award on Tuesday at Jericho National GC (par 72, 6,154 yards). Those two victories, combined with Super-Senior wins in the Chapman Cup (Gross) and Brewer Cup, also propelled Howson to Super-Senior Player of the Year honors.

  Howson posted a two-round total of 3-over-par 147 en route to the victory. David Jordan of Woodbury CC and Charles McClaskey and Michael Sofranko of Wyncote GC, each finished three shots back.

  “It feels great. This is the best year I’ve ever had playing golf,” said an emotional Howson, 71, of Malvern, Pa. “Two or three years ago this wouldn’t have happened because there was no Super-Senior [Division]. I’m just so appreciative of the Golf Association for creating this division for those of us moving along in time.

  “My primary goal today was to win the Player of the Year and the Silver Cross. That’s what I was really focused on. If I won the tournament today that was a bonus. So I got the bonus. I played pretty well. I didn’t putt terribly well but I hit the ball just really terrific.”

  Howson carded a second-round 74, doing what he’s done all year – playing consistent golf.

  Howson opened the day with a one-stroke lead and posted eight straight pars to extend that edge to three shots with 10 holes to go. A bogey on No. 9 (par 4, 380 yards) after an errant 8-iron approach found the greenside bunker and another on No. 11 (par 4, 300 yards) as a result of a three putt reduced his advantage to one, over Jordan at the time. Jordan and Howson exchanged bogeys on No. 13 (par 4, 382 yards) and No. 15 (par 3, 177 yards), respectively, before Howson, in essence, clinched the victory with a birdie on No. 16 (par 4, 385 yards). Howson knocked a 6-iron from 171 yards to 15 feet and made the putt. Howson then parred the final two holes.

  He posted 14 pars, three bogeys and one birdie on his final round.

  Jordan carded a closing 76.

  Sofranko, playing two groups in front of Howson, applied a smidge of pressure, closing with a day’s best of even-par 72. McClaskey, in the final group with Howson and Jordan, birdied the final hole to also finish with a 76.

  “I stayed within a shot or two of Jay all day until the last hole,” said Jordan, 66, of Swedesboro, N.J. “Jay is so consistent, he’s tough to beat. I consider myself one of those fringe guys. To be in the last group today was special.”

  The three-way tie for second was the best finish by all three competitors.

  Sofranko, 65, of Coatesville, Pa., just turned Super-Senior age. McCaskey, 70, of Elkton, Md., only recently started competing in the Super-Senior Division. He was a Senior Division regular.

  The Super-Senior Silver Cross is awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the Warner Cup (Gross), Chapman Cup (Gross) and Senior Amateur Championship rounds.

  “I think the Silver Cross to me is the ultimate trophy for the Golf Association,” said Howson. “It’s 72 holes of stroke play. It’s challenging. I just think it’s an accomplishment to get through 72 holes and be the low guy.”

  Howson is no stranger to Golf Association of Philadelphia success, though. He was the Senior Player of the Year in 2000-01.