CHAD FRANK WINS FOR THIRD TIME; STEVE START WINS IN FIRST TRY

A field of 90 players converged on the Southern Dunes Country Club (Haines City, FL) for the Bob Mirus Memorial on May 4-5.  It was the first of three majors for Orlando this year.  Players from five different Golfweek Tours competed.  After a week of unseasonably wet weather, skies turned partly cloudy Saturday and then clear and sunny for Sunday’s final round.

George Aylsworth Went Home With the Orlando Magic Autographed Ball

The tour was delighted—and honored--to welcome Golfweek Amateur Tour president Dennis McCormac from Charlotte for the weekend.  “Orlando is one of our longest running tours.  The events are well run and the member support is terrific.  I enjoyed the weekend very much”, McCormac said.

Championship Flight:  The course played long and hard with low scores hard to come by.  Five time Player of the Year Chad Frank opened with 73 and closed with 78 for 151.  He was able to hold off tour veteran John Bessette who carded an 80 to follow an opening 74 to finish second at 154.  John Henry used a Sunday 75 to vault into third place after an 81 on Saturday.  It was Frank’s third win in the first four events of 2013.

Bob Hodges (L) and Chad Frank (R) Won A Flight and Championship Flight at Southern Dunes

A Flight:  First year player Bob Hodges came out on top of the 24 player flight with a two steady rounds of 79-76-155.  First day leader Mark Farrow followed his 76 with 82 and slipped into a second place tie with Rene Brown at 158.  Three other players finished on 159—Gary Martinet, Alf Holden and Alex Sandor.

 
(L-R) Bill DeTorres (SrB), Mike Ferretti (B), Jim Steed (C), Steve Start (D)

B Flight:  The B-flight is always competitive.  And this week was no exception.  Playing in the last group of the day, Mike Ferretti, Ray Rodriques & Bill DeTorees battled down to the wire before Ferretti claimed the crystal first place trophy with rounds of 78-82-160.  DeTorres was second (78-83-161), Rodriguez was another shot back in third (80-82-162).  John Prano (164) was fourth and Chet Rakowski and Dan Gardner (165) finished T5.

C Flight:  Jim Steed, a member of the Myrtle Beach tour won C flight.  He put up a solid 82 to record the victory after opening with 87. Brian Mack and Jude Bien-Aime tied for second.  Mack shot 86-84 and Benn-Aime 83-87.  Orlando veteran Dennis Frantz was fourth with 87-90.

D Flight:  Steve Start playing for the first time this season wasted little time notching his first victory.  He posted 91-90-181.  Dan Salik was second after 95-97-192.

Bob Hodges (L) Wins SrA and John Ward (R) Takes Senior Championship

Senior Flight winners were John Ward (Championship, 77-74-151); Bob Hodges (A, 79-76-155); Bill DeTorres (B, 78-83-161).