The Abacoa Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida is widely known for its tournament quality layout. The Joe Lee design is also noted for perfect green surfaces. Both ingredients added to a fun and competitive 2017 SOS Spring Classic.

With summer-like temperatures and gentle southern winds, the field had a chance to be aggressive in round one. The proof is in the pudding as they say, as 14 players took advantage of the superb surfaces to post under par scores. The winds kicked up for rounds two and three, but the attack on par continued.

In the Senior Division six players posted sub-par rounds to open the event including host Robbie Dew, Palm Beach Gardens, (70) and Tom Hyland, Marlton, NJ, (70). In a group knotted at 1-under 71 were Jeff Poet, York, PA, Keith Decker, Martinsville, VA, Pat Tallent, Vienna, VA and Steve Sharpe of Greensboro, NC.

Dew’s second round 73 kept him atop the pack at 143, one shot ahead of Poet (71-73) and Michael Occi, Columbia, MD, who carded a three under par second round 69 and a 144 total. Decker slipped to a 146 total after 36 holes, tied with Sharpe (71-75) and Hyland (70-76).

Decker, a three-time Virginia State Senior champion and holder of 17 Virginia State Golf Association trophies, found himself in the second to last group for the final 18. In a round that included four birdies and four bogies, Decker posted a 72 for a 218 total. Tied for runner-up were Occi and Sharpe, tied at 219.

Dew, playing in the penultimate group behind Decker was tied for the lead standing on the 18th tee. His miscue third shot to the par four resulted in a triple bogey and a 220 total, a fourth place tie with Alan Barber, Yorktown, VA.

Dan Smith, Naples, FL finished two shots ahead of Dan Houlihan, Rockford, IL in the Super Seniors division. Smith’s fourth SOS title included rounds of 71-68-77 (216). Houlihan’s 218 total was two shots better than 2016 Player of the Year Gary Kirwan, McKinney, TX, Pete McDade, Lakeland, FL and Allan Small, Savannah, GA.

The Grand Masters division, playing for the first time with the newly re-assigned ages to include players 70 and over had a record 30 players competing. Two-time SOS champion Jerry Jackson, Kokomo, IN fired a two-under 70 in the opening round.

Washburn’s one-under 71 second round (144) placed him two shots ahead of hard charging Jack Vardaman, Washington, DC, (76-70-146).

The 76-year old Vardaman who added a final round 69 for a 215 total and a one shot victory over Washburn (73-71-72). It is Vardaman’s third SOS title. Alone in third was Tequesta resident Tom Knapp with 219 (74-75-70).

Congratulations to the winners of the 2017 SOS Spring Classic, and special thanks to the Abacoa Golf Club and it’s staff for providing a seamless experience.