The Ed Tutwiler Four Ball is as old as the Society. The first event was played in 1983 at the Atlantic City Country Club with Jim Brennan and SOS Founder John Owens as the champions. Ensuing events were won by celebrated SOS members including Ed Tutwiler and Keith Compton in 1985, Dale Morey and Bob Rawlins in 1986 both events at Lochinvar GC. Other notable champions of the Tutwiler include Jack Veghte, Chuck Ribelin, Austin Jones, Harcourt Kemp, Jim Stahl, Jack Vardaman, Jerry Greenbaum, Mike Rice, Robert Kulp, Paul Simson, Pat Tallent, Steve Hudson and Ronnie Tumlin.
The 2022 edition of the Tut moved to the newly re-designed Southern Pines Golf Club in Southern Pines, NC. Architect Kyle Franz restored the 6,268-yard, par-71 course to its original roots. The course dates to 1906 but had lost some of its Ross features over the last century. Franz is a Ross restoration expert, giving rebirth to the original sandscapes at Mid Pines in 2013 and executing a greens rebuild and bunker renovation in 2016 at Pine Needles, which will host its fourth U.S. Women's Open in 2022. He also worked on the restoration of Pinehurst No. 2 under Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw.
A new Tutwiler format included all players competing in one division, but from age appropriate tees. In the 120-man field, a senior could play with a legend for instance, but from separate tees. And did we mention, a cut after 36 holes to the low 42 teams for the final round.
Californian Ron Johnson, continued his 2022 winning ways, teaming with Dale Bouguennec, Pinehurst, NC by posting 71-65-69 -- 205 after 54 holes. Also at 205 was the team of Jim Lehman, Minnetonka, MN and Jerry Rose, Sarasota, FL with rounds of 68-68-69. Rose recently won the 2022 SOS Senior Masters at Indian Wells in April.
The playoff found the two teams deadlocked through three holes, but on the fourth playoff hole, a tidy iron shot to three feet and a successful birdie putt by Bouguennec was good for the win. This was Johnson’s second consecutive SOS win in 2022, and his 5th overall title.
Runners up Lehman/Rose were one shot ahead of Harold Payne, Hurricane, WV and Stephen Fox, Pinehurst, NC. Alone in fourth place was the team of Michael Mercier, Juno Beach, FL and John Kirchner, Pittsford, NY. Mercier and Kirchner won the last Tutwiler, held in 2018.