Benenhaley & Callahan Finally Prevail

After finishing runner-up three consecutive years the team of Ron Callahan of Little Mountain and Harry Benenhaley of Columbia finally team up to win the 31st Annual SCGA Senior Better Ball Championship.

After back to back missed birdie attempts early in the round by both players Benenhaley got the day started by sinking consecutive birdie putts on holes five and six.  Finishing the front side at two under par 34 the tandem found themselves tied for the lead with first round leaders O'Connor and Korzen.  On the back side Benenhaley was not going to let things get close.  He sank a birdie putt on the long 518 yard par five thirteenth to push the lead to one.  After O'Connor made a bogey on the par three fifteenth the lead was stretched to two shots.  Then our 2004 Champions decided to go ahead and close things out.  The team finished with three straight birdies, two by Benenhaley on holes sixteen and eighteen, and one by Callahan on the par five seventeenth.
Coming back on day two to finish second was Gene Spencer of Blythewood and John Swicord of Moncks Corner.  The team combined for six birdies, only two bogies and the rest pars on their way to completing nines of 35-33 and a second day total of 68.
Taking first place in the First Flight with a great second round score of 2-under par 70 was Mike Withrow of Bamberg and Jake McGinnis also from Bamberg.  Winning the Second Flight with a two day total of 3 over par 147 we had Jerry Weiss and Frank Piccione both of Summerville.

Sixty-two teams started the competition playing the par 72 - 6,413 yard Santee Country Club layout. The 31st Annual Senior Better Ball Championship is one of 17 major events that the South Carolina Golf Association conducts throughout the year.