Bryan Hoops, Tempe, AZ
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – The leaderboards were tight throughout the final round of the 2025 Senior Masters presented by Callaway Golf and hosted by Indian Wells Golf Resort. As the temperatures rose to the high 90s, the action on the course also intensified as three divisions were decided by just a shot or less.
Senior Division
Playing in his first Society of Seniors event, Bryan Hoops made a late birdie on No. 16 (par 3, 175 yards) to inch ahead of overnight leader Trae Cassell, of Rancho Sante Fe, CA, to win by one at 6-under par. Coming off two consecutive wins during the week prior at Golfweek at nearby Desert Willow, Hoops posted rounds of 72-69-69 for a 210 total on the Celebrity Course at IWGR to complete the hat trick.
“I’ve played well the last three events,” said Hoops. “Been hitting it great and just not making that many putts.”
Playing from behind on the final day, Hoops got off to a hot start going 3-under through five holes to take the lead, but his momentum would come to a screeching halt with bogeys on 7 through 9. He would right the ship with birdies on No. 10 and No. 13, prior to his final clutch birdie on 16.
To sum up the final round, Hoops said, “I just tried to be patient. I got off to a great start going 3-under, then made three bogeys in a row and didn’t really hit a bad shot. Some crazy breaks where I hit a sprinkler on 8 and it hopped over into a bunker, and then on 9 with the steep left right slope I hit the left fringe and kicked up the hill and went in a divot, so just some bad breaks, which everyone gets.”
Making the turn, Cassell and Hoops were tied going into the final nine. Both made birdie on No. 10 to get the juices going again.
“Trae and I looked at each other and agreed we needed to play well and make some birdies on the back,” said Hoops. “We kind of stumbled on 11 and 12 not taking advantage of chances there. A little hiccup when I three-putted for par on 14, and Trae made birdie there to tie it again. On 16, I rolled in a nice 20 footer go up one, and then on 17 we both had it in close and both missed. That was a big moment and certainly frustrating for both of us. On 18, I just hit a smart shot off the tee and wedged onto about 20 feet and rolled it to a few inches for par. Trae had about 15 feet to tie and it looked great all the way and just lipped out. It was a tight battle and it’s nice to walk away with the win here at a great venue and a quality field.”
Cassell, who fired the low-round of the event on Tuesday with a 7-under 65, got off to a slow start on the final day with three bogeys on the front nine. He then fought back with two birdies on the back nine (No. 10 and No. 14) to keep things tight coming down the stretch, but just couldn’t come up with any final heroics.
Tony Wise, of Georgetown, KY, shot the round of the day with 4-under 68. Wise worked himself into a tie for the lead on the back nine, but a bogey on No. 14 (par 5, 495 yards) stopped his momentum and he would finish at 3-under for the tournament in third place.
John Pate, Santa Barbara, CA
Super Senior Division
John Pate, of Santa Barbara, CA, came from behind and pulled away late in the Super Senior division thanks to shooting the low round of the final day with a 5-under 67 to win by four strokes over Gregory Goode, of Salina, KS, and Stevie Cannady, of Pooler, GA. Pate finished the tournament at 2-under par, while Goode and Cannady posted 2-over. Pate was able to capitalize when the leaders began to fade on the final day.
“I started the tournament 8-over through 14 holes, and thought I would never play another tournament again,” said Pate. “I made three birdies coming in on Tuesday, then shot 2-under on Wednesday. Today, things were just really clicking and it felt like I had a chance to shoot my age for the first time. I kind of choked on that a little bit, but it was great to post 67 and get the win here at a great venue.”
Sean Forey, Morrison, CO
Legend Division
Sean Forey, of Morrison, CO, tied for low round of the day in the Legend division with 2-under par 70 to finish tied at 6-over with George Walker, of Fairhope, AL. Unfortunately, Walker happened to be unavailable for a playoff, and Forey was declared the playoff winner. Michael Jonson, of Sammamish, WA, also matched Forey’s final round of 70, which put him in a tie for third place with Peter Van Ingen, of Palm Beach, FL, at 8-over par.
Asked about what was working this week, Forey said, “I drove the ball great, hit a lot of good irons, which kind of helped to make up for a bit of a lackluster putting effort.”
“I’m happy to come away with the win, although I wish George [Walker] would have been able to stick around for the playoff,” Forey added. “The course was in great shape and the folks here at Indian Wells always treat us well.”
George Dillon, Sun City West, AZ
Super Legend Division
In the Super Legend division, it all came down to the final hole as George Dillon, of Sun City West, AZ, was tied with Jack Marin, of Durham, NC at 3-over for the tournament. Dillon slept on the lead, but Marin came out firing on all cylinders and took the lead early on their first nine. Each facing birdie putts on their final hole, Marin would two-putt from 25 feet, while Dillon calmly knocked in his birdie from about six feet for the win.
“For many years, I really struggled off the tee,” mentioned Dillon. “This week, I was pretty much in play every hole and hit a lot of fairways, which is a good thing because my shots from the rough were definitely not as successful compared to being in the fairway. Jack [Marin] started out great and was 3-under early and had me a couple strokes down. I wasn’t really watching the leaderboard, so when we went into the last hole, I thought I was ahead by one, but we were really tied. As it turned out, my birdie on No. 10 [(par 4, 320 yards)] was for the win.”
Defending champion Gerry Graham, of Mesa, AZ, finished in third place at 7-over par.
Special thanks to the entire staff at Indian Wells Golf Resort, particularly Director of Golf Joe Williams, Tournament Coordinator Marissa Patterson-Egner, Head Golf Professional Tom Burley, and last but not least, Director of Agronomy Nick Leitner. Thanks, as well to Callaway Golf for their sponsorship of the Society of Seniors.
Event GGID: 25SOS4
