Boardman’s Santor set for Senior PGA event

By Greg Gulas

sports@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Boardman’s Andy Santor among this year’s 264-player field in the 27th Senior PGA Professional National Championship, which begins today at Monterey Peninsula Country Club in Seaside, Calif.

Santor qualified by placing in the top four at the Northern Ohio PGA Senior Championship, held Aug. 20-21 at Lake Forest Country Club in Hudson.

“This is my first year of eligibility so obviously it’s a very exciting time for me. I haven’t played much golf nor have I spent much time out there for any reason, but I am very excited for the opportunity,” he said.

The Senior PGA Professional National Championship features a $285,000 total purse with the first two rounds to be conducted on MPCC’s Bayonet and Black Horse courses. The Bayonet will host the championship’s final 36-holes.

Santor (75-74—149, +5) qualified by finishing in a tie for fourth with Gary Robison (74-75—149, +5) of Canton, each of whom walked off with a $525 pay day.

Tony Milam (71-75—146, +2) of Concord earned top honors with former University of Alabama star Gary Trivisonno (75-72—147, +3) and Mitchell Camp (73-74—147, +3), both of Aurora, finishing in a tie for second.

Former Youngstown State basketball player John Goodson (74-77—151) of host Lake Forest C.C. finished seventh overall, but failed to qualify.

Santor said the two courses, named in honor of two U.S. Army divisions - Bayonet and Black Horse and occupy property that was once part of the former Fort Ord Military Base near Seaside, will be very challenging.

“I don’t really know much about either course, but they played host to our regular national championship a couple of years ago,” Santor said. “Dennis Miller, who I was working for at the time at the Mill Creek Golf Course and is currently the director of golf at the Lake Club, played there and he said that both courses are absolutely fabulous. They’ve put many millions of dollars into each course.”

Santor, now 50, is a former Cardinal Mooney High School and Kent State University golfer and the winner of the 1987 Mid-American Conference Invitational and numerous Northern Ohio PGA events. He competed in the NCAA Golf Championships and was a member of the 2007 Ohio Cup team.

“There’s definitely a rebirth at 50 years of age when you’re a golf professional,” he said. “You really do try your best when you play and while I’ve hit more balls and worked a little harder now, it’s still very difficult. I actually play very little golf with most of my rounds in ’15 competitive rounds. I’ve only played a handful of rounds other than that, but I do sneak out and practice quite a bit and have played more this year than perhaps my mini-tour days in my early ‘20s.”

Santor’s strength is hitting the ball relatively straight off the tee.

“I’m currently working on a rehab program with my shoulders, looking to pick up about 20 yards off the tee, if that is possible,” he said. “Also, over the years I typically chip the ball halfway decent so I will have to be at my best because this is a very competitive field.”