SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. — Last year, he won by six shots. This year, he needed six playoff holes.
Gene Jones of Orlando, Fla., birdied the sixth hole of a sudden death playoff Oct. 22 to win his second straight National Patriot Senior Invitational at National Golf Club.
Jones finished the three-day event at 10-under 206, tied with James Mason and Chris Tucker atop the leaderboard. The playoff started on the first hole and, after Mason missed short birdie putts on the first two greens, it lasted until the sixth, where Jones sealed the victory with an easy two-footer for birdie.
"I couldn’t have had an easier putt," Jones told a local reporter. "A monkey could have made that putt."
The win was worth $7,500 for the Orlando resident, who fired 67 in the final round. Mason, of Dillard, Ga., and Tucker, of Fort Mill, S.C., earned $4,500 apiece for sharing second place. Mason, who began the final round with a one-stroke lead, shot 68, while Tucker fired a 66.
Fourth place went to John Ross of Freeman, W.Va., who finished at 208 and took home $3,500. Dave Rummells of Kissimmee, Fla., was fifth at 209 and won $3,000.
The sixth annual National Patriot Senior Invitational once again drew a strong field to the Jack Nicklaus-designed course. The event is part of the Sunbelt Senior Professional Tour and is one of the premier events in the country for senior professionals outside the Champions Tour.
The pro-am portion of the tourney raised $50,000 for The Patriot Foundation, which provides scholarships for children of 82nd Airborne Division soliders and Army Special Operations soldiers who have been killed in the line of duty or are currently deployed in a combat zone.
National Patriot Senior Invitational
National Golf Club
Southern Pines, NC
6,595 Yards, Par 72
Oct. 20-22, 2007
Gene Jones, Orlando, FL, $7,500 71-68-67=206*
James Mason, Dillard, GA, $4,500 70-68-68=206
Chris Tucker, Fort Mill, SC, $4,500 70-70-66=206
John Ross, Freeman, WV, $3,500 69-72-67=208
Dave Rummells, Kissimmee, FL, $3,000 72-68-69=209
Javier Sanchez, Greensboro, GA, $2,500 73-71-66=210
Tim Conley, Braselton, GA, $2,000 70-69-72=211
Kenny Knox, Monticello, FL, $1,500 75-71-66=212
Mike Blackburn, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, $1,200 72-70-72=214
Jim Chancey, Altamonte Springs, FL, $1,000 70-75-70=215
Mike Goodes, Reidsville, NC, $400 71-71-74=216
Alan Phillips, Jefferson City, MO, $400 72-70-74=216
Bill Anderson, Covington, LA 74-71-71=216
Russ Perry, Winston-Salem, NC 73-71-73=217
Gary Hallberg, Castle Rock, CO 72-73-74=219
Todd Brown, Winston-Salem, NC 73-71-76=220
Graham Banister, Sydney, Australia 71-74-76=221
Dave Narveson, Princeton, NJ 74-72-76=222
Mike Beaver, Raleigh, NC 79-75-71=225
Mike Lawrence, Easley, SC 78-74-74=226
Bruce Helbig, New Liskeard, Ontario 78-75-74=227
Richard Carter, Monroe, NC 76-79-75=230
Blair Lacy, Marietta, GA 79-75-76=230
Brad Nycum, Cartersville, GA 80-74-77=231
David Mobley, Jacksonville, FL 75-78-78=231
Glen Davis, Myrtle Beach, SC 75-77-79=231
* – won six-hole sudden death playoff
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