Five alive: 2022 GCSAA National Champion Seth Strickland, a 20-year association member, previously took home the title in 2021, 2009, 2008 and 2005. Photos by Montana Pritchard
A fifth GCSAA National Championship didn’t come easy for Seth Strickland.
Playing catch-up for most of the final round on the South Course at Torrey Pines on Monday, Feb. 7, the superintendent at Miami Shores (Fla.) Country Club birdied the 18th hole, then birdied it again in a playoff with Tanner Westbrook to capture his fifth victory overall and his first back-to-back titles. Both Strickland and Westbrook finished regulation with two-day totals of 5-over-par 149.
After 14 holes, Strickland found himself two shots behind Westbrook, superintendent at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas. But Strickland managed to bridie the par-4 15th hole and the famed par-5 18th to draw even with Westbrook.
Both players found the fairway on the first playoff hole. Strickland reached the back of the green in two, but Westbrook’s approach spun back into the small pond that guards the front of the green, leaving the door open for Strickland, who lagged a putt to within 10 feet, then made it for birdie to finish things off.
The final round: A gallery
Michael Stieler, CGCS, superintendent at Spring Creek Golf & Country Club in Ripon, Calif.
Walter Chavez, superintendent at Miami Beach (Fla.) Golf Club.
Adam Sauls, assistant superintendent at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Va.
Tanner Westbrook, superintendent at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas.
Max Rudder, assistant superintendent at The Venice (Fla.) Golf and Country Club.
Stuart Rowland, director of agronomy at The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch in Boerne, Texas.
Strickland and Westbrook.
With five titles, Strickland now sits just one away for tying Emil Mashie, who won six titles in the 1940s and 50s, for the most championships in the tournament’s history history.
Editor’s note: GCSAA’s visit to Torrey Pines for the 2022 GCSAA Golf Championships came on the heels of the Farmers Insurance Open and a decision on a controversial state legislature bill that targeted California’s public golf facilities. Read more in Magnificent muni: Torrey Pines tops menu for GCSAA Golf Championships.
Third place went to Max Rudder, assistant superintendent at The Venice (Fla.) Golf and Country Club, who carded a two-day total of 7-over-par 153. Three players tied for fourth at 9-over-par 155 — two-time champion Michael Stieler, CGCS, from Spring Creek Golf & Country Club in Ripon, Calif.; Adam Sauls, assistant superintendent at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Va.; and Steven Agazzi, the GCSAA Class A superintendent at Charleston (S.C.) Municipal Golf Course, who also won the senior division of the National Championship in a scorecard playoff with Stieler.
In the Chapter Team competition, the No. 1 team from the Florida GCSA won the gross division, with the team from the Philadelphia Association of GCS winning the net division. View all results from the 2022 GCSAA Golf Championships.
The GCSAA National Championship was a part of the broader GCSAA Golf Championships, which attracted 398 competitors and was presented in partnership with The Toro Co. for the 28th consecutive year.
Scott Hollister is GCM’s editor-in-chief.