ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Bill Britton of Rumson, N.J., experiencing a week that he called “Disney World for a golfer,” got within three strokes of the lead in the 69th Senior PGA Championship before closing with an 8-over-par 78. But it was good enough to capture the Low PGA Club Professional award, topping 37 of his peers in the fiekd at Oak Hill Country Club.

Britton, making his third appearance in the Championship, finished tied for 16th at 14-over-par 294, and was honored along with Senior PGA Champion Jay Haas on the 18th green during the NBC broadcast of the most historic and prestigious event in senior golf.

“I came into this Championship having played maybe 15 rounds since last fall’s Senior PGA Professional [National] Championship,” said Britton, the PGA director of instruction at Twin Brooks Golf Center in Tinton Falls, N.J. “I came here not knowing where I would fit in. I was so far removed from this type of golf, and from playing greens this fast. I don’t think a golf tournament will be played this year on a course that is as tough as this.”

Britton had competed on the PGA Tour from 1982 through 1996, winning the 1989 Centel Open and finishing runner-up three times.

“As things progressed, I was feeling wonderful this week. This was a treat for a golfer. In an arena like this, I was feeling alive again,” he said. “I sensed that I was in pretty good shape to make the top 20. I was playing pretty darned good. But, I was not that good with the putter. I was spooked by the greens.”

What boosted Britton into a next to last Sunday pairing was his ability to par the final 16 holes of the third round for a hard-earned 2-over-par 72.

“Today it was hard to hold on mentally,” Britton said. “I was so excited to have a chance to finish very well. But, I got rolling on the final three holes of the front nine. I played the Tour, so I suppose I know how to deal with things out here. I know how the game is supposed to be played.

“I am heading home to work tomorrow and I feel that if you give me a dose of this [major championship experience] every now and then, I’ll be happy.”

Britton’s Sunday in the spotlight was special in another way. It was his 22nd wedding anniversary, but he was celebrating alone. His wife, Isabelle, remained at home with the family’s four children.

“My wife told me just to enjoy the moment,” said Britton of a conversation the night before.

“She said that you have nothing to prove professionally. I know that I could not play good golf without feeling good about my family. They are No. 1.”
Eleven PGA Professionals out of 38 in the field made the cut of 12-over-par 152, the most since 2002.

The following outlines the performances of PGA Professionals competing in the 69th Senior PGA Championship.

Place Scores Earnings
T-16 Bill Britton, Tinton Falls, N.J. 70-74-72-78—294 $23,375
T-46 Jim Woodward, Chandler, Okla. 72-74-75-79—300 $5,700
T-49 Perry Arthur, Plano, Texas 77-73-76-75—301 $4,725
T-59 Robert Thompson, Huntsville, Texas 73-76-77-77—303 $4,000
T-62 Gary Robison, Canton, Ohio 75-73-79-77—304 $3,875
T-67 David Lundstrom, Victoria, Texas 78-74-77-76—305 $3,762.50
T-71 Darrell Kestner, Glen Cove, N.Y. 76-70-79-81—306 $3,637.50
T-77 Freddy Gibson, Orlando, Fla. 77-75-82-75—309 $3,500
T-77 Mike Barge, Chanhassen, Minn. 72-80-80-77—309 $3,500
83 Bill Loeffler, Castle Rock, Colo. 76-76-85-76—313 $3,400
84 Scott Spence, Portsmouth, R.I. 74-78-82-82—316 $3,375

Did Not Make 36-Hole Cut
Bill Sautter, Warrington, Pa. 79-74—153 $1,000
Mike San Filippo, Hobe Sound, Fla. 78-75—153 $1,000
Bruce Zabriski, Jupiter, Fla. 77-76—153 $1,000
Matthew Seitz, Hutchinson, Kan. 76-77—153 $1,000
Jeffrey Roth, Flushing, Mich. 78-76—154 $1,000
Bob Boyd, Wilmington, N.C. 77-77—154 $1,000
James Blair, Ogden, Utah 79-76—155 $1,000
Tommy Brannen, Augusta, Ga. 76-79—155 $1,000
John Mazza, Beaver Falls, Pa. 77-78—155 $1,000
Mike Zinni, N. Mankato, Minn. 84-72—156 $1,000
Chris Starkjohann, Encinitas, Calif. 82-74—156 $1,000
Ralph West, Litchfield Park, Ariz. 78-78—156 $1,000
Wayne DeFrancesco, Columbia, Md. 78-79—157 $1,000
Jeff Coston, Blaine, Wash. 78-79—157 $1,000
Bob Ford, Oakmont, Pa. 78-79—157 $1,000
David Arbuckle , Colorado Springs, Colo. 78-79—157 $1,000
Jim White, Lincoln, Neb. 83-76—159 $1,000
George Forster, Villanova, Pa. 79-80—159 $1,000
Scott Mahlberg, San Diego, Calif. 82-78—160 $1,000
John Calabria, Naples, Fla. 82-78—160 $1,000
Bob Darling, Lewiston, Maine 81-81—162 $1,000
Bob Ralston, Little Rock, Ark. 82-81—163 $1,000
Mike Parrish, Guntersville, Ala. 86-79—165 $1,000
Glen Stubblefield, Valley Springs, Calif. 86-79—165 $1,000
Thomas Herzan , Findlay, Ohio 81-84—165 $1,000
Gary Sowinski, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. 78-88—166 $1,000
Rod Nuckolls, Wichita, Kan. 82-86—168 $1,000

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