FAYETTVILLE, Ark. – Marc Engellenner of Rocklin, Calif. and Domingo Jojola of Burlingame, Calif. carded a closing 6-under-par 66 to clinch the 41st Trans-Mississippi Four-Ball at Blessings Golf Club. Mike Lohner of Southlake, Texas and Don Dean of Austin, Texas fired a 10-under-par 62 (the lowest round of the week) to win the Senior Division by nine strokes, while Lester Devitt of Concord, Mass. and Charles Yandell of Cashiers, N.C. claimed the title in the Super Senior Division.
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Engellenner and Jojola began Thursday’s round with a four-stroke lead. However, playing alongside the 36-hole leaders were Blake Vinson of Fort Worth, Texas and David Klaudt of Dallas. The Texans carded six birdies on their front nine to card a bogey-free 6-under 30. Engellenner and Jojola shot 36, and the two-stroke lead was in the hands of Vinson and Klaudt with nine holes to play.
Despite losing their overnight lead, the California duo didn’t waver. Jojola carded a birdie on the par-5 10th, and Engellenner followed with two consecutive birdies on the par-4 11th and par-4 12th to bring them even with Vinson and Klaudt. Engellenner and Jojola played holes 10-12 9-under for the week and carried the momentum through their final six holes.
“I made an 80-footer for birdie on 10, and we kept it going.” Jojola said. “Those three holes (10-12) were key for us this week.”
Engellenner and Jojola added birdies on the difficult par-4 14th, the short par-5 15th, and the par-4 18th to post 20-under par for the championship and secure the victory by two strokes. This was the first time they teamed up in a four-ball tournament, and they displayed world-class golf all week. With the win, they both earn an exemption into next year’s Trans-Mississippi Amateur at Denver Country Club.
“This is the best team golf I’ve played and the biggest accomplishment in my golf career,” Engellenner said. “It also means we punched a ticket to Denver Country Club next summer, which was the goal at the beginning of the week.”
Vinson and Klaudt posted a final round 8-under-par 64 and finished runner-up at 18-under par overall. They finished solo third at The Club at Old Stone last year and add another Trans-Mississippi Four-Ball top finish to their amateur resumes. Chris Collins of Springdale, Ark. and Michael Chaney of Fayetteville, Ark. fired a closing 8-under-par 64 to post 15-under and finish solo third. Matthew Nelson of Springdale, Ark. and Chris Devlin of Birmingham, Ala. finished fourth after carding rounds of 68-68-66, while Bryon Shumate of Fort Smith, Ark. and Derek Smith of Fayetteville, Ark. finished fifth at 11-under par overall.
In the Senior Division, it was all Lohner and Dean. The Texas duo put on a show Thursday and ran away with a second straight Trans-Mississippi Four-Ball title. Lohner carded five birdies and drained a 90-foot putt on the par-5 15th for eagle. His partner added three more birdies to the team’s scorecard, and they posted an impressive 23-under-par 193 for the championship.
Greg Greenbaum and Jack Larkin of Atlanta took home runner-up honors for a second straight year. They carded four birdies and a lone bogey to close with a 3-under-par 69 and finish at 14-under for the tournament. Robert McDonald and Bob Brewer of Austin, Texas posted rounds of 71-69-71 and finished solo third.
Lee Sandlin and Brent Cooper of Dallas finished fourth after rounds 71-70-73, while Andy Lucas of Tulsa, Okla. and Kevin Hutchens of Jenks, Okla. rounded out the top-5 at 1-under par overall.
In the Super Senior Division, Devitt and Yandell recorded a third consecutive round in the 60s en route to a wire-to-wire victory. They closed with a bogey-free 5-under-par 65 to post 15-under par for the championship and win by six strokes.
Douglas Potter of Coeur dAlene, Idaho and Mitchell Murphy of Scottdale, Ariz. carded rounds of 70-67-70 to finish 9-under par for the tournament and solo second, while last year’s champions Doug Hopton-Jones of Mansfield, Texas and Ed Turner of Richardson, Texas finished third at 2-under par.
It’s been a fantastic week at Blessings Golf Club, and the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association extends its most sincere appreciation to the members and staff for all their hard work in making the tournament such a memorable event.
Extra special thanks are due to Owner John Tyson, General Manager Richard Cromwell, Head Golf Professional Justin Sellin and his great staff, Golf Course Superintendent Troy Fink and his tireless grounds crew, Director of Operations Chris Rhoads and Executive Chef Cheyenne Evans.
Additionally, we want to thank all our dedicated directors for their efforts throughout the entire season. The Trans-Mississippi Golf Association staff could not conduct these elite tournaments without a total team effort. We thank everyone involved.
About the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association
The Trans-Mississippi Golf Association is one of the oldest and most prestigious golf organizations in the United States. Established in 1901, the Trans-Mississippi is composed of over 200 member clubs located throughout the country. The Association is governed by a board of independent directors and is headquartered in Dallas, TX.
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