Officially, the 2023 Golfweek Senior Amateur Season is underway.
Monday saw the start of the quest to be named Player of The Year at Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club, Tampa, Florida. Let’s first honor the four players who were awarded Player of the Year in 2022.
Rusty Strawn, the Senior Division player of year, had an amazing 2022. Georgia native Strawn began his year by winning the Florida Senior Azalea in February. Strawn defeated Doug Hanzel, a fellow Georgian, in the U.S. Senior Amateur.
Strawn continued his USGA major win with a win North, where he won the Canadian Senior Amateur the following week. Strawn won the Senior Challenge Cup Captaincy award at Golfweek Senior Challenge Cup and was named Player of the Year.
Like Strawn’s Super Senior Marc Fried in 2022, Fried was dominant. Fried started his season with three consecutive top-five finishes. This momentum helped him to win the U.S. Super Senior National Championship. According to AmateurGolf.com Fried’s worst finish was T-18 in 17 starts.
Don Donatoni, a native of Pennsylvania, was awarded Legend player honors in part due to his win at the Super Senior Amateur. The 74-year-old, who played well throughout the year at Golfweek events was able secure the top spot at the year’s end.
John Blank was awarded the Super Legend player award after a successful season, which included winning the Senior National Invitational.
The 2023 Player of the Year race is officially underway.
Mike Finster is the leader of the senior division after round 1. With a score of 1 under 71, the Florida native was the only under-par player of the day. Georgia’s Danny Nelson is two shots behind at 1 over, while Rusty Strawn tied for third with a score of 74.
Marcus Beck holds a lead of two shots at 3 over in the Super Senior division. A par-par front nine was marred only by a single double bogey on par-5 15. Mike Poe and Steve Humphrey finished the day behind Beck with 77s.
Arkansas’s BevHargraves impresses, opening with a 4 over 76. Hargreaves has 36 holes to play and Don Donatoni is trailing by one shot.
Gene Bingman is the leader in the 75+ age group. To take a single shot lead over Gil Stenholm, Gene Bingman scored an 8 over 80.
Tuesday is round two of the Golfweek Senior Player of the Year Classic. Click here for more information about how to play Golfweek events
