Vance Welch (right) accepts the winner’s trophy from Daniel Neveu, chairman of the National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame tournament.
Courtesy national senior Amateur Hall of fame
Playing in the event for the first time, Maryland’s Vance Welch won the National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame tournament in High Point, North Carolina, last Friday. Welch shot 74-70-71 on High Point Country Club’s Willow Creek Course to finish at 1-under-par 215, one stroke ahead of John O’Brien in the senior division.
“The golf course won,” Welch told GGP after winning. “I just outlasted everyone else. The heat was extreme, and as a result, the conditions were fast and firm. Stopping the ball was a challenge.”
The key to Welch’s victory were the par-3 holes. He played them in 3-under par for the tournament.
Welch, 61, is a three-time senior player of the year in Maryland. He was also the state’s 2008 player of the year.
Two previous Hall of Fame inductees, Doug Hanzel and Paul Simson, battled for the super senior division title, with Hanzel prevailing by a stroke at 4-under 212. Phil Pavoni coasted to the legends division title, shooting 1-over 217 to finish five strokes ahead of Don Donatoni.
Veteran senior amateur Jack Hall and tournament organizer David Millis were the 2026 Hall of Fame inductees.
RESULTS
Stewart Hagestad put on an impressive display at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York, successfully defending his title Sunday at the C.B. Macdonald Invitational, commonly known as the Singles.
Hagestad, ranked 93rd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, won medalist honors with a qualifying score of 7-under-par 65, three better than Jeronimo Esteve. He proceeded to win three matches before running into Esteve in the final. Hagestad prevailed, 3 and 1.
“I arrived late and did not get a practice round in, so this was a bit unexpected,” Hagestad said. “I hit it pretty well and am thrilled with how I played.”
Esteve was coming off a win with partner Mark Costanza the previous weekend at the Anderson Memorial Four-Ball Invitational at Winged Foot.
Dan Keogh won the senior championship flight, defeating Brian Tennyson, 1 up.
Elise Lee and Jared Abercrombie held off their challengers and captured Southwestern Amateur titles Saturday with matching 14-under-par winning scores at Desert Mountain Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Lee, a rising junior at USC, closed with a 69 and finished six strokes ahead of Pepperdine’s Grace Anderson and Mississippi’s Mary Miller in the second of five events on the women’s Elite Amateur Golf Series. Lee tied the 72-hole tournament record on Desert Mountain’s Outlaw Course and became the first player to post four straight sub-70 rounds (69-69-67-69).
“I didn’t think too much in the beginning, I just played my own game,” Lee said. “But as we got near the end I found myself getting momentum and the putts were falling.”
Abercrombie, who recently transferred to Santa Clara University, dueled with Miles Kuhl before pulling away late. He closed with a 71 and finished two strokes ahead of Kuhl (closing 69).
Kuhl, who has committed to San Diego State, started the final round four strokes back but vaulted into the mix with three birdies in his first five holes.
“It was a good battle. He definitely turned it on early,” Abercrombie said.
Staff Reports
