Peters claims fourth Quad-City
Amateur crown
Craig DeVrieze
| Posted: Sunday, May 24, 2009 9:35 pm | 1
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Ben Peters
watches his ball during the Quad-City Amateur at Emeis Golf Course in Davenport
on Sunday. (Steven Mantilla/ Quad-City Times)
Just in case
Ben Peters was overly impressed with his undoubtedly impressive seven-shot
Quad-City Amateur victory Sunday evening at Davenport's Emeis Golf Course, his
4-year-old daughter Maura was there to keep him grounded.
Well actually,
she wasn't there.
As the proud
papa bent down to welcome his daughter into his open arms after a closing round
of 3-under 69, Maura veered right instead to claim an embrace from grandpa John
Peters.
"Talk
about pushing you down a peg or two," Ben Peters said.
Not to worry.
Peters still was walking tall after claiming his fourth Q-C Am victory a full
15 years after the first.
After a
bogey-free opening round of 65 on Saturday, Peters started the day with a
five-shot lead. Twice Sunday, at the turn and after No. 14, he saw recent
Central College grad Andy Petersen close within a couple of shots.
But three
backside birdies and a hot Scotty Cameron putter kept him in front.
"He made
some putts," Petersen said of his more experienced playing partner, who
rolled home several putts of 15 feet or more on the weekend. "It seemed
like every time I got it back to an interesting margin, I would make a mistake
or he would make a putt."
Peters, who had
five birdies and two Sunday bogeys, said he didn't have the kind of solid
ball-striking round he enjoyed on Saturday and said he may have rushed himself
a bit early.
"It's
always difficult to follow up a round where you executed all your shots and
posted a score," he said. "I tried to put it all behind me and hang
in there, and that's what I did. On the front nine, I greased it around. Then I
got my wits about me on the back."
Peters also won
Amateur titles in 1994, 1995 and 2007.
A pair of
college sophomores-to-be, Iowa State's Michael Weurtz (72-72-144) and Black
Hawk's Connor Gillund (70-74-144) tied for third in the championship flight.
Patti Lee
(77-84-161) scored a nine-shot win in the women's division and couldn't
remember afterward how many Q-C Am titles that made.
"Probably
between 15 and 20," said the East Moline golfer.
Brian Soucinek
(78-73-151) won a playoff over Marcus Gillmor (78-73-151) for the Championship
A Flight crown, and Dan Dalziel (73-73-146) also needed a hole of sudden death
to claim the Seniors division over Dave Waugh (74-72-146).
Carlos Salaber
(76-77-153) won the Super Seniors flight by three shots.