Quinn Griffing, PGA Professional at Donald Ross G.C. in Fort Wayne fired a closing round 7-under-par 65 to win his second consecutive Indiana PGA Senior Professional Championship sponsored by Mercedes-Benz. Griffing’s final round was enough to force a playoff with Brad Mays, PGA of Pebble Brook G.C., which he won with a birdie on the first playoff hole at Hillview C.C.
The win was not only Griffing’s second in a row, but his fourth career win in the event. When asked if his success in the event has an effect down the stretch, Griffing replied, “Sure it does, because I think you can go to the well, go to your experience and it allows you to stay patient.” Griffing continued, “No question past success always helps when you’re in a pressure situation.
Mays started the final round with a three-shot lead and both players started hot in the final round with birdies on the first two holes. After a Mays bogey, combined with back-to-back birdies by Griffing, the two were tied after the 5th. “I was playing with really good players and I was just really trying to take care of my own business,” said Griffing. “I got fortunate, I birdied the first four out of five holes which kind of set the tone and then I kind of hung on there.”
Griffing nearly let things get away from him on the par-5 17th after his second shot deflected off the trees and he was forced to play his fourth shot through a bunker. “I looked at my options and I thought trying to run it through the bunker was the best because if I left it in the bunker, I felt pretty confident I could get it up and down,” said Griffing of his adventure on 17. Griffing did just that and got up and down from the bunker to salvage bogey and head to the par-5 18th a shot back. Griffing knocked his second shot just past the green and was able to get up and down for birdie while Mays made par as the pair finished regulation at nine-under of the tournament.
On the first playoff hole, Griffing made another birdie to capture the title. “I just kind of hit the ball where I hit it all tournament, right in the front of the green and wedged it in there about three and a half feet,” said Griffing of the playoff hole.
In addition to the win, Griffing also earns a spot in the national PGA Senior Professional to be held at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona in late September. The top finishers from that event will qualify for the Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores G.C.. “I think the ultimate goal of any PGA Professional is to get into the Senior PGA Championship next May,” said Griffing, “so I’d that that would be my goal.”
Mays will join Griffing in Scottsdale, along with David Carich, PGA of Harbour Trees G&BC and Tim Holt, PGA from Nick’s Golf Center as Indiana PGA representatives.
Final Leaderboard
