Jeff Semple and Jim Durr
PALM CITY, Fla. – The Ohio duo of Jeff Semple (Canton, OH) and Jim Durr (Silver Lake, OH) came from five shots behind starting the final round to eventually win the 39th Ed Tutwiler Four-Ball in a playoff over John Brellenthin (Dallas, TX) and Tim Peterson (Forest Lake, MN). Semple and Durr matched the low round of the tournament with a 7-under par 65, and found themselves in a tie at 12-under 204 with Brellenthin and Peterson. Also firing 65 in the final round were Robert Diskin (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) and David Whittaker (Duluth, MN).
On the first playoff hole, after laying up on the par five that plays around water that fronts the green, Durr played a fantastic approach that ended up just behind the hole for a tap in birdie. Brellenthin and Peterson had already both found the green in two, and both narrowly missed their long eagle putts, and had to settle for birdie and go back to the 18th tee. Both teams found some trouble on the second playoff hole, and ultimately, Durr holed his greenside bunker shot for an improbable birdie to seal the victory after Peterson’s chip for the tie slid past the hole.
“My plan for today was to stay out of Jim’s way, he was on fire out there,” said Semple.
“We ham and egged it pretty good all week,” said Durr. “If one guy was out of the hole the other stepped up, it’s a team game. We had a great time here at The Cape Club and it was a wonderful facility with great weather.”
Semple added, “It’s a great group of guys, and we’re happy to add our names to the list of Tutwiler winners.”
Finishing in third place at 10-under was the team of David Crocker (Bluffton, SC) and Kirk Geiling (Loveland, OH) after posting a final round 4-under 68. In a tie for fourth at 8-under were Bruce Levinson (Jupiter, FL) and Ken Kinkopf (Dublin, OH) and Duke Delcher (Bluffton, SC) and William Hadden (Manchester, VT).
Special thanks to The Cape Club of Palm City for their generous hospitality throughout the week. Thanks as well goes to Callaway Golf for their sponsorship and continued support of the Society of Seniors.
