Strawn
The Society of Seniors announced today the 2022 Players of The Year. SOS Members earn POY Points throughout the year. In 2022 nine events were played. Starting in February with the 2022 Spring Classic played in Palm Coast, Florida at the Hammock Beach Resort and ending in early December with the 2022 Ralph Bogart, played at North Palm Beach Country Club, North Palm Beach, Florida.
SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Rusty Strawn, McDonough, Georgia repeated his SOS 2021 Player of The Year, fueled with a victory at Pine Needles in the 2022 Dale Morey Championship. Rusty played in three SOS events in 2022, notching a second at the Senior Masters and a third at the Spring Classic. Rusty’s 500 POY points was 50 ahead of Stephen Maddalena, Jackson, Michigan. But perhaps the real story of Strawn’s year was highlighted with victories at the US Senior Amateur, the Canadian Senior Amateur, the Trans Miss Senior, and the Florida Senior Azalea. In addition to the above-mentioned runner-up finish at the Senior Masters, Strawn had three other second place finishes: North South Senior, Gasparilla Senior, and the Moot Thomas Senior Memorial. To no one’s surprise, Rusty Strawn is the number one ranked senior in the world.
SUPER SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Emile Vaughan, Pike Road, Alabama, played in four SOS events in 2022. A tie for ninth at the National Super Senior Championship, a second in both the Spring Classic and Senior Masters and a win at the Bogart. Emile is the number 10 ranked super senior according to Amateurgolf.com. Emile’s year end total 555 points was 155 points ahead of John Armstrong, Frostburg, Maryland, Marc Fried, Palm Coast, Florida and 2021 Super Senior Player of the Year, Robin Rubrecht, Newburgh, Indiana.
LEGEND PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Don Donatoni, Westchester, Pennsylvania racked up 650 points in 2022, finishing well ahead of Peter Van Ingen, Palm Beach, Florida at 430 points, Jody Vasquez, Aledo, Texas at 420 points and David Crocker, Bluffton, South Carolina at 380 points. Donatoni played in six SOS events this year highlighted by an early season victory at the Spring Classic. A tie for 10th at the John Kline Championship and a tie for 20th at the National Super Senior Championship were other highlights of Donatoni’s year.
GRAND MASTER PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Long-time Society of Seniors member Frank Polizzi, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, took advantage of the perfect surroundings at Hammock Beach Resort to win the Spring Classic, his first SOS crown. Frank played in three other events in 2022, but his Bogart win gave him a year end total 420 points, 80 points over Gil Stenholm, Burr Ridge, Illinois and 90 points over Johnny Blank, Frostburg Maryland.
To view the entire 2022 Player of The Year points standings:
