Amateur Sam Till of Fort Wayne maintained his lead at the Best Western Senior Open after a final round 73 for a 140 total and a three shot victory over Bill Schumaker of Crooked Lake G.C., and amateurs Terry Werner of Dyer and Ted Kaperak of Terre Haute. Amateurs claimed all of the top ten spots except Schumaker at the Indiana PGA event, again demonstrating the strength of Indiana’s senior amateurs.
Pine Valley Country Club in Fort Wayne, where Till holds a Senior Club Champion title, hosted 104 Indiana amateurs and PGA Professionals over the age of 50 May 12-13. The final day provided rainy conditions for the duration of the competition, and Till was able to open with a birdie and stay focused on the front nine to make two more. At the first hole he landed his approach shot only two feet from the hole for a tap-in three. At the seventh hole he holed out a 35 foot putt for another birdie. He held on for a 39 on the back and the win.
Till also finished runner-up at the 2008 Mid Amateur held at Pine Valley C.C. behind Randy Nichols of Brookville.
After the first round the field was cut to the low 60 scores and ties. The 65 players who recorded a 78 or better were invited back for the final round.