Royak edges Newsom in finals of US Senior Amateur at Old Chatham

Bob Royak did not have a birdie on his card Thursday but was able to edge former East Carolina golfer Roger Newsom in the 18-hole championship match of the 65th U.S. Senior Amateur at Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham.

Bob Royak, 57, of Alpharetta, Ga., scored a 1-up victory to win the Frederick L. Dold Trophy in the first U.S Golf Association championship held in the Triangle.

Royak, making his fourth start in the championship and 16th USGA championship overall, is the second player in the last three U.S. Senior Amateur finals to claim the title without a birdie in the championship match. Sean Knapp did it two years ago at The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis, Minn., when he denied Raleigh’s Paul Simson a third title, 2 and 1.

Newsom, 55, of Virginia Beach, Va., had just 14 bogeys in 121 holes of golf prior to the championship match. He had five – with two birdies – on Thursday and couldn’t overcome the mistakes.

“It was a good match,” Newsom, who became eligible for this championship in March when he turned 55, told the USGA. “Back and forth, back and forth; I kind of gave too many [holes away] today. I gave more than what I had given away the first [five] matches.”

By winning, Royak earned exemptions into the next 10 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship and an exemption into the 2020 U.S. Senior Open at Newport (R.I.) Country Club, where he’ll be paired with reigning champion Steve Stricker and Senior Open champion Bernhard Langer.

Newsom, an eye surgeon and ophthalmologist, received an exemption into the next three U.S. Senior Amateur Championships and also earned a spot in the 2020 U.S. Senior Open.

Among those on hand for the championship match was Simson, a two-time U.S. Senior Amateur champion. Jerry Lee, who coached Newsom at ECU, also watched the match.

This story was originally published August 29, 2019 at 6:23 PM.