Branham, Spittler add to record number of championship wins
PLYMOUTH – Bob Branham’s golf game is aging gracefully.
Branham, 58, won his record 22nd Canasawacta Country Club men’s scratch championship late Sunday afternoon finishing the 54-hole event at 1-under-par overall. Branham was 10 shots clear of runner-up Bryan Smith, who was this year’s defending champion. Smith dug a big hole after his opening round, but playing virtually even with Branham over the grueling 36 holes Sunday.
“The nice thing (about the final round) was that I was paired with Bryan and Lee (Skillin), who won the club championship two of the previous three years,” Branham said.
Returning to the top spot in the women’s division was Amy Spittler, who won her record 15th women’s scratch title taking a two-shot victory over Patty Cwynar. Two-time defending women’s champion, Casey Marson, placed third.
Young Alex Gage perhaps set the stage for a long and distinguished golfing career. Gage, just 11 years old and entering the seventh grade at Norwich Middle School, won the men’s handicap division with a net 10-under-par. Gage, playing to an 18 handicap, had scratch rounds of 83 and 85 (net 10-under-par) to become the course’s youngest-ever club champion.
Doug Wilson repeated as men’s senior scratch champion shooting a gross three-over-par for 36 holes, five shots better than his winning score from last. Colin Fraser won a two-hole playoff over Rick Ferris to take the senior men’s handicap title, while Dianne Lewis rounded out the champions taking the women’s handicap division. Lewis shot a net 60 in her opening round en route to a seven-stroke victory.
Branham, meanwhile, entered the final round buoyed by a nine-shot cushion. He didn’t allow himself to reflect on that lead until the final holes. “People have asked me many times before a final round if I am thinking of a number to shoot,” Branham said. “Really, my first thought is to find the first fairway, and go from there. You can’t think about how many shots you have in hand because there is too much golf to play.”
After one-under-par 70s in his first and second rounds, Branham had birdies on the second, fifth, and tenth holes to extend his lead in the final 18. He made a curling, treacherous birdie on the par-three 14th hole to cement his advantage.
“It’s different with the pros, but par is always a good score, and I remind myself of that,” Branham said.
Men’s Scratch Division
(Top nine scores after 36 holes qualified for final 18 holes)
Bob Branham 70-70-72-212
Bryan Smith 79-70-73-222
Lee Skillin 72-77-80-229
Tom Ryan 79-80-70-229
Pat Newell 78-74-78-230
Corey Johnson 79-78-78-235
Edd Jenkins 78-76-81-235
Nick Brunick 79-80-77-236
Stu Hughes 78-81-79-238
Men’s Senior scratch
(36 holes)
Doug Wilson 71-74-145
Edd Jenkins 78-76-154
Colin Fraser 79-76-155
Men’s Handicap Division
(Net scores)
Alex Gage 65-67-132
Lee Skillin 66-71-137
Ryan Johnson 69-68-137
Rick Ferris 69-70-139
Kevin Rivenburgh75-66-141
Jim Wysor 71-71-142
Jim Johnson 72-70-142
Men’s Senior Handicap
(Net scores)
Colin Fraser 71-68-139*
Rick Ferris 69-70-139
Kev. Rivenburgh75-66-141
Jim Wysor 71-71-142
Jim Johnson 72-70-142
*Won playoff on second hole
Women’s scratch
Amy Spittler 85-79-164
Patty Cwynar 86-80-166
Casey Marson 83-88-171
Ashley Mirabito91-96-187
Women’s handicap
(net scores)
Dianne Lewis 60-69-129
Amy Spittler 71-65-136
Jane Eaton 73-68-141
Branham, 58, won his record 22nd Canasawacta Country Club men’s scratch championship late Sunday afternoon finishing the 54-hole event at 1-under-par overall. Branham was 10 shots clear of runner-up Bryan Smith, who was this year’s defending champion. Smith dug a big hole after his opening round, but playing virtually even with Branham over the grueling 36 holes Sunday.
“The nice thing (about the final round) was that I was paired with Bryan and Lee (Skillin), who won the club championship two of the previous three years,” Branham said.
Returning to the top spot in the women’s division was Amy Spittler, who won her record 15th women’s scratch title taking a two-shot victory over Patty Cwynar. Two-time defending women’s champion, Casey Marson, placed third.
Young Alex Gage perhaps set the stage for a long and distinguished golfing career. Gage, just 11 years old and entering the seventh grade at Norwich Middle School, won the men’s handicap division with a net 10-under-par. Gage, playing to an 18 handicap, had scratch rounds of 83 and 85 (net 10-under-par) to become the course’s youngest-ever club champion.
Doug Wilson repeated as men’s senior scratch champion shooting a gross three-over-par for 36 holes, five shots better than his winning score from last. Colin Fraser won a two-hole playoff over Rick Ferris to take the senior men’s handicap title, while Dianne Lewis rounded out the champions taking the women’s handicap division. Lewis shot a net 60 in her opening round en route to a seven-stroke victory.
Branham, meanwhile, entered the final round buoyed by a nine-shot cushion. He didn’t allow himself to reflect on that lead until the final holes. “People have asked me many times before a final round if I am thinking of a number to shoot,” Branham said. “Really, my first thought is to find the first fairway, and go from there. You can’t think about how many shots you have in hand because there is too much golf to play.”
After one-under-par 70s in his first and second rounds, Branham had birdies on the second, fifth, and tenth holes to extend his lead in the final 18. He made a curling, treacherous birdie on the par-three 14th hole to cement his advantage.
“It’s different with the pros, but par is always a good score, and I remind myself of that,” Branham said.
Men’s Scratch Division
(Top nine scores after 36 holes qualified for final 18 holes)
Bob Branham 70-70-72-212
Bryan Smith 79-70-73-222
Lee Skillin 72-77-80-229
Tom Ryan 79-80-70-229
Pat Newell 78-74-78-230
Corey Johnson 79-78-78-235
Edd Jenkins 78-76-81-235
Nick Brunick 79-80-77-236
Stu Hughes 78-81-79-238
Men’s Senior scratch
(36 holes)
Doug Wilson 71-74-145
Edd Jenkins 78-76-154
Colin Fraser 79-76-155
Men’s Handicap Division
(Net scores)
Alex Gage 65-67-132
Lee Skillin 66-71-137
Ryan Johnson 69-68-137
Rick Ferris 69-70-139
Kevin Rivenburgh75-66-141
Jim Wysor 71-71-142
Jim Johnson 72-70-142
Men’s Senior Handicap
(Net scores)
Colin Fraser 71-68-139*
Rick Ferris 69-70-139
Kev. Rivenburgh75-66-141
Jim Wysor 71-71-142
Jim Johnson 72-70-142
*Won playoff on second hole
Women’s scratch
Amy Spittler 85-79-164
Patty Cwynar 86-80-166
Casey Marson 83-88-171
Ashley Mirabito91-96-187
Women’s handicap
(net scores)
Dianne Lewis 60-69-129
Amy Spittler 71-65-136
Jane Eaton 73-68-141
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