Howell Survives the Storm
LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. - Competitors fought through 36 holes of stroke play and five rounds of match play for the opportunity to win the Senior Amateur Match Play Championship. After four hot days and a final match weather delay, it was Winter Garden’s Chris Howell who won the honor of being called champion.
Stroke Play
Stroke play began with 83 players vying for the title of Senior Match Play Champion. Gary Cona had the round of the day, shooting a 5-under 67 in his opening round—the lowest round of the week. He entered the clubhouse with a three-shot lead over the rest of the field.
The second round of stroke play was highlighted by 2024 Hall of Fame inductee Joe Alfieri, who shot back-to-back rounds of 70. Alfieri birdied two of his last three holes to vault into contention for stroke play medalist honors, which he would eventually secure.
Round of 32
Exactly 32 players made the cut for match play, with no playoff needed to decide the remaining spots. Bill Barnes went the distance with medalist Joe Alfieri, however Alfieri made par on the final hole to earn a slim 1-up victory.
In other matches, Brendan Hester made easy work of David Tassell, winning 6 & 5 and ending the match on the 13th green. Similarly, Miles McConnell defeated Chris Berens 5 & 4, making birdie on three of his last five holes.
The only sudden-death match featured Ryan Howison and Tim Carpenter. Carpenter came back from a three-hole deficit, only to lose to Howison’s par on the first playoff hole.
Round of 16
The round of 16 began with Chris Howell pulling off the upset over number-one seed Joe Alfieri. Howell birdied the 17th hole en route to victory and a place in the quarterfinals.
Miles McConnell delivered another dominant performance, beating Don Bell 7 & 5 with a birdie to finish.
Another playoff was contested between Peter Wegman and Bobby Bird. Wegman made a miraculous comeback by winning the final two holes to force extra holes, then sealed the win with a par on the first playoff hole.
Quarterfinals
The four quarterfinal matches were all tightly contested and decided within the final two holes.
Steve Howell drained a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th to clinch victory. In another close match, Brendan Hester and Charles Campbell were tied through 13 holes, until Hester made back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15 to seal the win. Similarly, Steve Albright birdied 16 and 17 in succession to pull away with a 3 & 1 victory over JD Schlotterback.
Semifinals
In the first match, Chris Howell and Brendan Hester closely contested on the front nine. Hester birdied the 3rd, and Howell answered with a birdie on the 4th. Howell made the turn with a narrow 1-up lead and continued with consistent, steady play. He birdied 11 and 15 to take a 2-up advantage into the 17th hole, where a two-putt par secured his 2 & 1 win.
In the second match, despite losing the first hole, Steve Albright dominated the front nine against Miles McConnell. Albright birdied holes 2, 4, 6, and 8 to take a 2-up lead into the back nine. McConnell clawed back with a birdie on 14 to cut the lead to 1 up. But on 17, Albright smartly laid up, then hit a 107-yard wedge shot to 12 feet and drained the birdie, ending McConnell’s run with a 2 & 1 victory.
Finals
The final match between Albright and Howell had plenty of memorable moments, including a two-hour weather delay after the 4th hole.
Once play resumed, both players traded shots throughout the remaining holes. After Howell won the 3rd, Albright responded on the par-3 7th, sticking his tee shot to six feet and sinking the birdie putt. The players made the turn all square, setting up an exciting back nine.
Howell lost the 11th hole after hooking his approach into the left rough but responded by sticking it to two feet on the par-3 12th and making birdie. He then birdied the par-5 15th to take the lead, but Albright quickly answered with a 25-foot birdie putt on 16 to tie it again.
On 17, Howell regained the lead by laying up and sticking a wedge to six feet, calmly making birdie. With a 1-up advantage heading to the drivable 18th, Howell played conservatively with a 3-wood off the tee, while Albright went for it with a driver and ended up in the left hazard. Howell chipped onto the green and two-putted for a 2-up victory and the championship.
"It feels good. It was a long, tough, hot week. It's just a pleasure to play with great players like Joe Alfieri, Steve Albright, and Miles McConnell. Its nice to compete with guys like that, and coming out on top was just a bonus." -Champion Chris Howell
