87-Year-Old Upstages Arnie At Shoot-Your-Age Tourney On Florida Golf Course
Leonard “Leo” Luken is smiling today. On Saturday, he beat Arnold Palmer on a Florida golf course — by three shots.
OK, technically, The King was 11 strokes better than the Hilton Head retiree. But in The Villages Shoot Your Age Championship, Luken’s 81 counted as 6-under — his age, that is. Palmer, by comparison, shot “only” a 73 — three shots less than his age.
Luken, who shot his “round for the ages” at the par-72, 6,251-yard Arnold Palmer Legends Country Club in The Villages, Fla., said it was his biggest thrill since — get this — playing golf in Latrobe, Pa., with Palmer’s father, Deacon, 35-40 years ago.
“I was on the podium next to Gary Player, and Arnie told him, ‘This guy took lessons from my dad,’” Luken said, laughing. “This was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me.”
A retired production manager with Zollner Pistons Co. in Fort Wayne, Ind., Luken was a star fast-pitch softball pitcher with the company team, helping it win four world championships, in 1945-47 and 1949. At one point, he won 53 consecutive games, and he is a member of the sport’s hall of fame, as well as the Kentucky and Indiana halls of fame.
These days, Luken and his regular group play at Palmetto Dunes’ Fazio and Jones courses, other Florida golf courses. Earlier this year, he shot a pair of 79s. “At 87, though, that gets tougher to do,” he said, laughing.
Luken’s prizes included a Waterford crystal bowl, a 42-inch plasma-screen TV and a pair of airline tickets. But nothing will top the memory of that day.
“Next to being married 63 years, that’s it,” he said.
Dargans win. Brothers Robert and David Dargan of Columbia, runners-up in the 2004 Carolinas Four-Ball Championship, claimed their first title at Camden Country Club by defeating three-time winners Bert Atkinson of Charleston and Sammy Truett of Surfside Beach, 2 and 1.
The tournament was played at Camden for the 50th time.
Sage advice. Weldon Wyatt, owner of the exclusive Sage Valley Golf Club near Graniteville, will open his award-winning course to outside play on May 22 and 23 to raise money for needy students in Aiken County.
Participants in “A Day of Golf at Sage Valley Golf Club” will be shown to a personal locker, have breakfast or lunch in the dining room, warm up at the practice facility and play 18 holes with a caddie, followed by cocktails and food.
Cost is a $400 donation per player to Aiken County Dollars for Scholars. To reserve a tee time, call Sage Valley’s Carmen Cordero at (803) 663-0900
OK, technically, The King was 11 strokes better than the Hilton Head retiree. But in The Villages Shoot Your Age Championship, Luken’s 81 counted as 6-under — his age, that is. Palmer, by comparison, shot “only” a 73 — three shots less than his age.
Luken, who shot his “round for the ages” at the par-72, 6,251-yard Arnold Palmer Legends Country Club in The Villages, Fla., said it was his biggest thrill since — get this — playing golf in Latrobe, Pa., with Palmer’s father, Deacon, 35-40 years ago.
“I was on the podium next to Gary Player, and Arnie told him, ‘This guy took lessons from my dad,’” Luken said, laughing. “This was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me.”
A retired production manager with Zollner Pistons Co. in Fort Wayne, Ind., Luken was a star fast-pitch softball pitcher with the company team, helping it win four world championships, in 1945-47 and 1949. At one point, he won 53 consecutive games, and he is a member of the sport’s hall of fame, as well as the Kentucky and Indiana halls of fame.
These days, Luken and his regular group play at Palmetto Dunes’ Fazio and Jones courses, other Florida golf courses. Earlier this year, he shot a pair of 79s. “At 87, though, that gets tougher to do,” he said, laughing.
Luken’s prizes included a Waterford crystal bowl, a 42-inch plasma-screen TV and a pair of airline tickets. But nothing will top the memory of that day.
“Next to being married 63 years, that’s it,” he said.
Dargans win. Brothers Robert and David Dargan of Columbia, runners-up in the 2004 Carolinas Four-Ball Championship, claimed their first title at Camden Country Club by defeating three-time winners Bert Atkinson of Charleston and Sammy Truett of Surfside Beach, 2 and 1.
The tournament was played at Camden for the 50th time.
Sage advice. Weldon Wyatt, owner of the exclusive Sage Valley Golf Club near Graniteville, will open his award-winning course to outside play on May 22 and 23 to raise money for needy students in Aiken County.
Participants in “A Day of Golf at Sage Valley Golf Club” will be shown to a personal locker, have breakfast or lunch in the dining room, warm up at the practice facility and play 18 holes with a caddie, followed by cocktails and food.
Cost is a $400 donation per player to Aiken County Dollars for Scholars. To reserve a tee time, call Sage Valley’s Carmen Cordero at (803) 663-0900
posted by John at
8:02 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home