No surprise given the depths to which the passion runs for a spot in next month’s U.S. Senior Amateur, but it took five holes to narrow down a five-way playoff in a qualifier Monday to confirm who would earn two of the three berths.
The first one was easy, thanks to Roger Hoit’s barrage of seven birdies to shoot 3-under 69 at Charles River CC. The perennial club champion at Eastward Ho! was simply on his game in warm temperatures and gusty wind.
But, oh, that playoff between three Mass Golf stalwarts – Frank Vana Jr. (Marlborough CC), Doug Clapp (Old Sandwich) and Steve Tasho (Thorny Lea) – and two others, Donald Foberg (Plymouth CC) and William Prescott.
Tasho was eliminated when he made the only par at the first extra hole. Prescott fell next, with a bogey at the second extra hole and on the fourth playoff hole, Vana got it up-and-down from a difficult lie and was the only one to make par.