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Estes and Lucas take home Willow Point senior and club championships last weekend
Published 11:48am Friday, August 31, 2012Thad Estes had finished as runner-up in a club championship on five different occasions.
At the Willow Point Country Club Men’s Club Championship this past weekend, Estes broke through for his first-ever win—and did it in style.
Estes dominated the field, coasting to a seven-stroke victory with rounds of 69-76 for a one-over-par 145 total.
“It feels great to win this tournament,” said Estes.
“I played really well for two days.”
Estes, who lives in Columbus, GA and has a house on Lake Martin, played a fantastic round Saturday in wet, sloppy conditions that made the course play very long. His 69 gave him an eight-stroke lead. When nobody in the final groups caught fire during the last round, Estes played steady golf to take home the title.
“I was really happy with my overall game,” said Estes, who finished second in the club championship at Green Island CC twice and three times at the Country Club of Columbus.
“It was great to play well in tournament conditions.”
McGowin Miller and Dwayne Dark finished tied for second at 152, with Miller shooting the only sub-par on Sunday (71). Mitt Schroeder took fourth at 153.
In the senior division, Roger Lucas held off Charlie Nowlin and Tommy Spraggins for a one-stroke victory to win his first senior club championship at Willow Point. Lucas, who finished second last year by one stroke, parred his final hole, the 10th, to secure the victory. Lucas’s total of 152 was three better than defending champion Mel Long, who finished fourth.
Lucas birdied the final four holes the first day to take a two-shot lead over Nowlin going into Sunday’s final round.
“Although I did not play great, I am very pleased to have won this event,” said Lucas.
“I always look forward to coming down here and playing.”
Fifty-one golfers competed in the two-day event.
The lowest two-round total posted was by Billy Wood, who won the regular division title (played from the white tees) with rounds of 72-72 for an ever-par 144 total.
Other flight champions were: Scott Sealock (Championship second flight), Bill Harrell (Regular Division second flight), Stephen Thomas (Regular Division third flight), Ron Carlson (Senior Division second flight), and Art Kelly (Senior Division third flight).
