CINCINNATI, OH – Finishing four-under-par and claiming the playoff, Bob Sowards, PGA defended his Southern Ohio PGA Senior Professional Championship title for the fifth consecutive year.
“It’s cool! I always love winning – I despise losing – and I’ve won this every chance I’ve had the opportunity to compete,” said Sowards on the feeling of earning his fifth consecutive SOPGA Senior Professional Championship title. “I had a lot of confidence coming into today. I was four-under and my goal was to get to 10-under, obviously I shot even-par but I played well, except for a few bad bogeys this week.”
The PGA Director of Instruction at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Center in Columbus, OH opened the 77th Southern Ohio Senior PGA Professional Championship strong, going two-under-par early in Wednesday’s first round. A few bogeys on the day didn’t hold him back as he closed out the round with two birdies to post four-under-par 67. Sitting one stroke off the leader overnight, Sowards arrived at Thursday’s final round ready to take the lead.
Keeping his game plan in mind throughout the round, he kept his eye on the prize and put together a steady round. A birdie on the first hole set the pace until a bogey followed on the second. Not letting that stop him, Sowards quickly answered every bogey with a birdie to post a final round score of even-par, finishing at four-under-par 138 for the tournament and forcing a playoff for the title. A birdie in the playoff on Clovernook Country Club’s first hole earned Sowards his fifth title, the first Southern Ohio PGA player to do so consecutively.
“I’m a leaderboard watcher, I was definitely looking at it to see what everyone was doing. I knew where others were so I figured it was Sam and I coming in. I love battling Sam – he’s a great guy and a great competitor, Bob noted following the round.”
Through five years of eligibility, Sowards has not let go of the SOPGA Senior Professional Championship title. His first win came in 2018 after turning 50-years-old in June. Since then, he has continued to earn four more SOPGA Senior Professional Championship titles, four SOPGA Senior Player of the Year honors (‘18, ‘19, ‘20, ‘21), three SOPGA Player of the Year honors (‘18, ‘19, ‘20) and three PGA Professional Player of the Year honors (‘18, ‘19, ‘21) in addition to numerous SOPGA Tournament Series events. Sowards was also a member of the 2021 SOPGA Ohio Cup team bringing the trophy back to Southern Ohio and is currently Assistant Captain of the 2022 team.
“It’s awesome,” noted Sowards on his feelings of returning to the Twin Warriors and Santa Ana Pueblo Golf Clubs for the 2022 Senior PGA Professional Championship in October. “I played out there in 2003 for the PGA Professional Championship so I have some good vibes heading into the tournament and hopefully I can bring back my second Senior Professional trophy.”
In 2018, Sowards earned an exemption into future Senior Championships by winning the 30th Senior PGA Professional Championship. He will return to the 2022 Senior PGA Professional Championship set to be played October 13-16, 2022 in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico at Twin Warriors and Santa Ana Pueblo Golf Clubs.
Joining Sowards in the Senior PGA Professional Championship field are the Southern Ohio Section’s top-five placers: Sam Arnold, PGA General Manager at The Vineyard Golf Course, Dave Bahr, PGA Head Professional at Maketewah Country Club, Tim Krapfel, PGA Head Professional at Bel-Wood Country Club, Barry Hinckley, PGA Head Professional at Jefferson Golf & Country Club and Lloyd Faulkner, PGA Instructor at Buttermilk Falls Golf Club.
Anthony Andrews, PGA; Steve Klick, PGA; Bob Stephens, PGA; Mike Thomas, PGA and Tommy Hilliard, PGA claimed alternate spots for the 2023 PGA Professional National Championship. For more information about the PGA Senior Professional Championship, click here.
To view the full Southern Ohio PGA Senior Professional Championship leaderboard, including the National PGA Senior Professional Championship qualifiers, click here.
The 2022 Southern Ohio PGA Senior Professional Championship was presented by Cadillac. It is also made possible thanks to supporting partners NBC Golf Channel and the PGA Tour.
Thanks to Michael Deters, PGA and his team at Clovernook Country Club for their commitment to hosting the 77th Southern Ohio PGA Senior Professional Championship.