Tobin shoots one-over 71 at Erskine for 10-stroke victory in Senior Men’s Metro

Posted by Admin August 11, 2024 Golf

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John Fineran
| Correspondent

SOUTH BEND – The driver in Dan Tobin’s golf bag usually does his game’s talking.

But this weekend, according to the 52-year-old Granger resident, it was his putter that helped him win his second Greater South Bend Senior Men’s Metro Golf Tournament title.

“The strength of my game is usually my driving,” said Tobin, who says he averages better than 300 yards off the tee. “But today it was inconsistent. Really, this whole tournament what I really did well was putt. I made a lot of 5-6 foot putts to save par, and that’s what kept me in the game.”

After opening with a one-over 73 Saturday at Elbel Park Golf Club, the 52-year-old Tobin followed with a one-over 71 Sunday at Erskine Park Golf Club for a two-over total of 144 and a 10-stroke overall victory over 60-69 age division champion Mark Harman.

With the 50-59 and 60-69 age groups playing Erskine Park from the blue tees (5,289 yards), Tobin had to be careful where he bombed his driver.

“I can probably drive at least 4-5 holes here,” Tobin said. “But with the tees up, it’s harder sometimes because I can hit it through the landing area and end up rolling it into trees or wherever. I’d prefer if the tees were all the way back (at 5,940 yards).”

Saturday at Elbel Park, Tobin had three birdies. Sunday he made three more — at holes 4, 9 and 13. He turned in even-par 35 after nearly driving the 269-yard, par-4 ninth hole, his eventual birdie putt offsetting consecutive bogeys at the par-4 seventh and eighth holes after huge drives. Tobin birdied the par-4, 330-yard 13^th but bogeyed the 14^th and 16^th holes before making consecutive pars to finish off his 71.

“I had to fight and fight to keep it around even par,” Tobin said. “I just never felt comfortable with my irons today.”

A former standout athlete at Dowagiac High School, Tobin says golf “keeps my juices flowing.” Watching daughter Clare compete for the No. 12 Penn High School girls team also keeps him interested.

Tobin, who won the Men’s Metro title in 2009, previously won the 2022 Senior Men’s Metro after a two-hole playoff with Martin Nash.

“It’s always difficult to close the deal with anything,” said Tobin, who owns his own landscape company. “It’s hard. But today I was able to pull it off and get it done.”

Tobin, who beat Harman by 10 strokes for the overall title, was 11 strokes better than 50-59 age division runner-up Mark Colpaert, who fashioned a closing two-over 72 after starting with a pair of birdies.

Harman, who started the day three strokes behind Tobin after shooting an opening four-over 76 Saturday at Elbel Park, bogeyed three of his first four holes Sunday and never threatened for the overall title. But Harman steadied himself with a birdie on Erskine’s uphill, par-5 fifth hole on way to a three-over 38 on the front side. A double bogey at the 13^th hole and three more bogeys completed his round of eight-over 78 for a 12-over-par total of 154. That was good for a two-stroke victory in the 60-69 age division over 2021 overall champion Aris Andrews, who closed with a 74 for a 156 total.

South Bend’s Dick Neher captured the 70-over division when he fashioned a one-over 71 from the gold tees (4,653 yards). Neher made four birdies (Nos. 1, 6, 9 and 18) in his round to offset three bogeys and one double. After shooting a five-over 77 Saturday at Elbel Park, Neher finished with a six-over total of 148 and four-stroke victory over Kevin Swartz in the division.

GREATER SOUTH BEND SENIOR MEN’S METRO GOLF TOURNAMENT

SOUTH BEND – Results after Sunday’s final round at the par-70 Erskine Park Golf Club. The 50-59 and 60-69 age division golfers played course at 5,289 yards; the 70-over age division played course at 4,653 yards. First round was played Saturday at par-72 Elbel Park, making par for two rounds 142:

OVERALL TOP 10

144 (+2): Dan Tobin (50-59) 73-71

154 (+12): Mark Harman (60-69) 76-78

155 (+13): Mark Colpaert (50-59) 83-72

156 (+14): Aris Andrews (60-69) 82-74; James Gates (50-59) 80-76

157 (+15): Ted Neal (60-69) 80-77; Dan Filchak (50-59) 83-74

159 (+17): John Heckaman (60-69) 84-75; Chris Jurkaites (50-59) 83-76; Doug Fedore (50-59) 81-78

50-59

144 (+2): Dan Tobin 73-71

155 (+13): Mark Colpaert 83-72

156 (+14): James Gates 80-76

157 (+15): Dan Filchak 83-74