Feb. 24, 2019 – Temple Terrace, Fla.
Four-time U.S. Hickory Open Champion Jeremy Moe, of Boca Raton, Fla., won the 2019 U.S. Professional Hickory Golf Championship sponsored by the United States Golf Teachers Federation. His 77 was three clear of runner-up Thomas Garnier and the same score shot by Willie Smith in the first round at Myopia Hunt Club in the 1908 U.S. Open.
“The winning average for four rounds in that Open was 80.5,” said Mike Stevens, the Tamp-area golf professional who hosts the USPHGC. Moe shot his 77 using a 1908 replica ball.
The tournament was the ninth playing of the U.S. Pro Hickory Championship, begun in 2011 by Stevens and annually played over the Temple Terrace Golf & Country Club near Tampa, Fla. The course opened in 1922 and was laid out by noted architect Tom Bendelow. At the time, it was described by the Tampa Tribune as a “brute of a course” stretching over 6,400 yards. “Probably not worthy by today’s standards, but a stout test for the hickory clubs of the day, and certainly for the now century-old clubs in the hands of today’s players,” Stevens says.
“The links held up well against some excellent modern-day hickory golfers,” Stevens says. “Jeremy’s 77 will earn his name affixed to the John Shippen Cup.”
The cup honors John Shippen, an early American golf professional, part Native- and part African-American, who was employed as the first professional for the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.
The tournament is part of a weekend of golf at Temple Terrace that includes a casual hickory outing that serves as a fund raiser for the local historical society, and a Mike Stevens Challenge, played on Sunday, the day before the professional tournament. The Challenge is a Ryder Cup-style event with four-person teams.
And, lest it be forgotten, the tournament also raised nearly $2000 to support returning military veterans in need of financial assistance.
“What a day it was for The Challenge,” Stevens says. “As Tom McCrary would say, ‘better than Wednesday for a camel.’ The competition was fierce as six teams blazed the fairways for a chance to have their names attached to the prestigious ‘Spirit of Hickory Trophy.’ Coming out on top was the squad of James and Beth Chambers, Mike Tracy, and Earl Hines who bested the field by three points.” (Results and photo below.)
As for the amateur component of the Monday tournament, James Chambers turned in 28 Stableford points, enough to earn his name on the Oscar Bunn trophy. In the Heritage division (net scores) Bob Boss finally broke through after losing in scorecard playoffs the two previous years.
Bunn, by the way, was a Shinnecock Indian who made golf his life’s work. He started as a caddie at the club, then became good enough to begin teaching the game. He played against the likes of Harry Vardon and Walter Travis.
Boss might have the beneficiary of a little wishful thinking. “Ironically,” says Stevens,” in last year’s write up, I wished Bob better luck next year.” It worked.
Results of 2019 U.S. Professional Hickory Golf championship
Player Score Winnings
Jeremy Moe 77 $1,200
Thomas Garnier 80 $900
Jeff Leonard 81 $530
Mark Harman 81 $530
Steve Herron 81 $530
Tom McCrary 82 $300
James Lowe 83 $125
Joe Mentz 83 $125
Keith Wightman 83 $125
Wally Armstrong 83 $125
Jennifer Cully 84 $100
Mike Stevens 86 $100
Gregor Jamieson 87
Duke Trombetti 88
Kyle Quinn 96
Ezra Evans NC
Jim Cocchi NC
Earl Hines NC
The Amateur Leaderboard (Stableford)
James Chambers 28 $150 GC
Jim Wilhelm 25
Bernie Alessandrini 22
Patrick Potter 21
Jim Drotos 17
Dan Capaz 14
Scott Bowles 14
Bob Boss 12
Irene Dionne 12
Roger Dionne 12
Heritage Division Leaderboard (Stableford)
Bob Boss 37 $150 GC
Jim Wilhelm 35
Bernie Alessandrini 35
Jim Drotos 35
Dan Capaz 34
Scott Bowles 33
Irene Dionne 33
Patrick Potter 31
Roger Dionne 27
Results of the Mike Stevens Challenge
44 Mike Tracy, James Chambers, Beth Chambers, Earl Hines
41 Mike Stevens, Jim Cocchi, Scott Bowles, Rosemary Pabst
40 Steve Haigler, Kirby Wilson, Patrick Potter, Bob Ziegler
39 Bob Boss, Roger Dionne, Irene Dionne, Paul Fiedorek
35 Tom McCrary, Bob Martin, Jim Drotos, Bernie Alessandrini
26 Bill Geisler, Rich Grula, Marci Likens, Natalie Wells