Round one of the IGA Senior Team Championship at Royal Highlands Golf Club closed with Chuck Wenning of Hillview CC and Steve Sterrett of Old Oakland Golf Club leading the field with a short one stroke lead over Terry Werner of Briar Ridge CC and Skip Runnels of Forest Hills CC. Chuck Harris and Steve Spaulding, both from Prairie View Golf Club started off the final round hot, finishing out the front nine 5-under par and battling the two teams for the lead early on in the day.
The team of Werner/Runnels who were our 2022 and 2019 IGA Senior Team Champions, had an impressive 6-under par finish on their first nine holes and eventually landed the lead after birdieing hole 6,7,8, and 9, snagging a two stroke lead over the other teams. Harris and Spaulding continued to push through and fluctuated between the lead and runner-up spot, with Werner and Runnels having an unfortunate bogey on hole #13 and applying some pressure to their play.
They countered their bogey with a birdie on the next hole and then came through with a much needed birdie on hole #17 and a par on the final hole, which deterred them from a potential playoff with Harris and Spaulding. Runnels and Werner finished with a two day total of 15-under with sixteen total birdies over the two day competition.
“Up until the turn, we felt like we were probably in better shape than what we were. We found out that Harris and Spaulding were playing great as well but we still felt confident. We had that little stumble on that thirteenth hole and both made bogey and they birdied that hole to even things up, which definitely got our attention. That birdie on 17 really helped the confidence coming down the eighteenth hole” said Runnels.
Runnels and Werner reminisced on their past wins as partners in the 2022 and 2019 championships, having nothing but great things to say about their experience.
“On the cusp of being 70 years old, there’s not a lot more for me to do in terms of playing competitively. So this is ideal, especially when you have the opportunity to play with someone like Terry. It’s something you look forward to every year” said Runnels.
Werner added “It’s a great partnership, we enjoy being together, and we help each other. We’re supportive so if you make a mistake, you make a mistake and it’s no big deal. And I’ll be 72 so we will both be walking out at the same time.”
View full results from the championship here.