Rick Stimmel, Pittsburgh, PA
RESULTS: 42nd Ralph Bogart Tournament
PALM COAST, Fla. – On Wednesday at The Conservatory Course at Hammock Beach Resort players finally enjoyed some warmer temperatures with just a light breeze under plenty of Florida sun. Compared to day two where just 11 players shot par or better, the optimal conditions for the final round saw 25 players at even par or better.
Senior Division
Rick Stimmel of Pittsburgh, PA, entered the final round trailing Kevin VandenBerg of Pulaski, NY, by one stroke, but he arrived at Hammock Beach feeling encouraged by recent progress in his game.
“I found a little something last week when I played in the Dixie,” Stimmel said. “Prior to that, we hadn’t done much of anything for at least a month and a half at home. Thank God I have some friends that are fair-weathered and keep me motivated, because I wouldn’t play any golf.”
The momentum carried into the Bogart, helped by pristine course conditions. “The golf course is in such perfect shape that if you couldn’t make any putts today, it was your fault,” he added.
After both Stimmel and VandenBerg made early bogeys, VandenBerg extended his lead with a birdie on No. 4. But Stimmel responded forcefully, reeling off three straight birdies on holes 5–7 and adding two more on Nos. 9 and 10.
“I just got off to a decent start, and I knew if I stayed ahead of Kevin I’d be in pretty good shape,” Stimmel said. “I got it to four under through about 10 holes and just kept the pressure on.”
His defining moment came at the closing par-5 18th. Following a three-putt bogey on No. 17 that briefly tightened things, he delivered a perfect approach shot.
“I hit such a nice shot in on 18—six-iron to about three and a half feet and made the eagle to seal it,” he said.
Stimmel secured the championship at 10-under par 206 over three rounds, while VandenBerg—who posted under-par rounds each day—finished runner-up at 7-under. VandenBerg also secured Senior division Player of the Year honors.
Reflecting on the week, Stimmel added, “It was a lot of fun. You guys run such a great event, and all of us snowbirds love coming down for this.”
Todd Doss of Mandeville, LA, finished in third place with a solid showing of 5-under 211 for the event.
James Pearson, Charlotte, NC
Super Senior Division
James Pearson of Charlotte, NC, continued his 2025 winning ways at The Conservatory, capturing the Super Senior title by one shot after a tight, back-and-forth battle with Michael O’Donnell of Brookhaven, GA. Pearson also earned Player of the Year honors in the Super Senior division for the season, adding an exclamation point to an already standout year.
“It’s been a great year,” Pearson said. “I thought the venue was wonderful, especially since the weather cleared up. Lots of beautiful big greens—we all had several three-putts. I had a nice match with Michael coming home today, and it was really, really fun. It came down to the very end, and that was the best part of it.”
After starting the round on No. 9, the two were locked together coming down the stretch, with momentum swinging repeatedly.
“Michael birdied four, parred five, and birdied six, so we were tied going into number seven,” Pearson recalled. “He hit it off the hill into the right bunker on seven. I was 20 feet away, and he hits it out of the bunker to about two inches. I thought, ‘Okay, here we go.’”
The turning point came on their final hole.
“On number eight, he hit it to the right front of the green. I hit it 15 feet past the hole, and he three-putted while I two-putted and won by one. That’s how it went.”
Pearson posted the winning score at two-under par 214 for the 54 hole event.
Michael Arter of Lakeville, MA, and Jeff Dandurand of Westlake, TX, finished tied for third at +3.
Marc Fried, Solon, OH
Legend Division
Marc Fried of Solon, OH, staged an impressive comeback to defeat Don Donatoni of West Chester, PA, in a sudden-death playoff to capture the Legend Division title. Fried, a member at Hammock Beach and reigning club champion, entered the final round tied with the always-steady Donatoni.
“I was even with Donatoni, who’s a really solid player,” Fried said. “He knocks it down the middle all the time and he’s a good putter.”
After starting their round on No. 15, it took an early turn when Fried made a triple bogey on his second hole.
“I started out with a par and he bogeyed it, but then I made a triple-bogey seven on the next hole,” he said. “If you told me I was going to win after that, I wouldn’t have believed you.”
Fried steadied himself with multiple birdies, though another bogey briefly slowed his climb. Donatoni built a sizeable advantage, and Fried found himself four shots down with six holes to play.
The momentum shifted at the par 5 10th.
“Number 10 was the turning point,” Fried explained. “I knocked it on the green in two and two-putted for birdie, and he was short of the green in three and made a bogey.”
On No. 11, Fried closed the gap further. “I knocked one in for birdie, and he made par,” he said.
A crucial save came on their second-to-last hole. “I made about an 18-footer on 13 to save par, and then he missed his to save par,” Fried noted. “Then we tied 14, and headed to a playoff.”
The playoff at the par-5 18th was a dramatic finish.
“On 18, we both hit good drives,” Fried said. “He went for it with a five-wood and hit a beauty to the back-right pin. We couldn’t tell at the time, but it caught the slope and fell off the right side of the green into the rough.”
Fried then faced a demanding approach. “I was pretty much against the wall. I was 199 out and hit a five-iron that got on the green and rolled past the pin into the fringe. I just missed the eagle putt and finished about two feet past.”
Donatoni’s eagle chip finished around 10 feet, and when he couldn’t convert the birdie, Fried tapped in for the win.
“He’s a solid player—I just kind of got a little lucky,” Fried added. He also praised his home course: “I’ve got to tell you, the greens were in terrific shape. I’ve got to give them credit.”
Mark Weston of Windermere, FL, finished in third place two strokes back at +2. In the process, Weston also staked claim to Legend division Player of the Year honors.
John Osborne, Charlottesville, VA
Super Legend Division
John Osborne of Charlottesville, VA, came from behind to win the Super Legend title by two strokes over Pete Allen of Southport, NC, after a daylong battle that remained tight from start to finish.
“It was neck and neck today,” Osborne said. “After the very first hole, I made a birdie and they both bogeyed, so the three of us were tied right away. From there, somebody was never more than a shot ahead the whole day. It was a lot of fun—a lot of ups and downs.”
Osborne finally broke through late in the round.
“I finally made a birdie on something other than a par 5,” he said with a laugh. “That was our 16th hole. I hit a wedge in and made a 10-footer for birdie.”
He nearly added another on the final hole. “I just missed a birdie on our last hole, which was a par 3, but it was over at that point.”
Reflecting on the week, Osborne praised both the venue and the event. “This is a great golf course. The Society did a great job here. It was a little bit nippy, but it was a very good week.”
Playing alongside Osborne in the lead group and finishing in a tie for third place at +6 were Sam Robinson of Jacksonville Beach, FL, and George Dillon of Sun City West, AZ. Robinson also secured Super Legend division Player of the Year honors.
Special thanks to the staff and membership of The Conservatory at Hammock Beach for their outstanding hospitality, and to Callaway Golf for their continued support of the Society of Seniors.
Event GGID: 25SOS8
