Seth Strickland captured his second Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) National Championship in dominating fashion Jan. 29 at the Independence Course at Reunion Resort in Orlando.
Carding his third consecutive round of four-under-par 68, the GCSAA Class A member at Miami Shores Country Club in south Florida finished the three-day event with a total of 12-under-par 204, the lowest total winning score in the tournament’s 58-year history. Strickland won the 2005 GCSAA title, also conducted in Orlando.
His margin of victory of 16 strokes over runners-up Mike Stieler, GCSAA certified golf course superintendent at Riverbend Golf Club in Coarsegold, Calif., and Shawn Westacott, GCSAA Superintendent Member at Jackson (Tenn.) Country Club, was also the largest in tournament history.
Just a few days removed from Tiger Woods’ dominating performance in winning the Buick Open, Strickland did his best impression of the world’s No. 1 player in the annual GCSAA tournament. His first 68 gave him a four-shot cushion over Westacott and Thomas Ashfield, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale, N.Y. Strickland’s second 68 pushed his advantage to six strokes, with Westacott losing ground despite shooting a 2-under-par 70. Stieler joined the final group courtesy of a 3-under-par 69 in round two.
In the final round, with a stiff wind pushing scores higher across the board, the question quickly turned from whether Strickland would win to by how much he would win. He birdied the first hole (one of 15 he carded during the tournament against only three bogeys) and with both Westacott (4 over par) and Stieler (3 over par) struggling on the front side, Strickland’s lead was nine shots at the turn.
The event, presented in partnership with The Toro Co. for the 14th consecutive year, brought over 500 GCSAA members to central Florida. A full field of 97 competitors played in the National Championship, a 54-hole stroke play tournament played on the Independence Course at Reunion Resort. The remainder took part in the Golf Classic, which features two rounds of play using the point quota system. Hawk’s Landing Golf Club, Grande Pines Golf Club and the Crooked Cat and Panther Lake Courses at Orange County National played host to the Golf Classic.
Next year’s GCSAA National Championship and Golf Classic visits Gulf Shores, Ala., Feb. 1-3.