Reading's Chip Lutz takes U.S. Senior Amateur
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. - While the rain was falling Thursday at Hidden Creek Golf Club, the emotions were flowing for Chip Lutz in the championship match of the U.S. Senior Amateur.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. - While the rain was falling Thursday at Hidden Creek Golf Club, the emotions were flowing for Chip Lutz in the championship match of the U.S. Senior Amateur.
Lutz, who never had won a U.S. Golf Association championship in a career in which he won national senior titles on two continents, finally made it to the Senior Amateur final after failing in three previous attempts as a semifinalist. To make it more special, his 89-year-old mother, Janet, watched him play in competition for the first time.
So the rain wasn't the only liquid seen after the 60-year-old Reading resident defeated Tom Brandes of Bellevue, Wash., 5 and 3, in the 61st competition for players 55 years of age and older.
Lutz's voice broke as he thanked his mother, who followed him around on a cart. His speech faltered when he spoke of being so frustrated about not having reached the top in this event that he considered giving up the game.
"That's my mom in me," Lutz said. "My mom is very sensitive in that regard and I think I inherited that from her. It was very emotional for me because to finally have been able to accomplish this goal of mine really puts things to rest for me."
Lutz has clinched a sixth consecutive senior player of the year award in the Golf Association of Philadelphia. He won back-to-back titles in both the British Senior Amateur and the Canadian Senior Amateur in 2011 and 2012.
Brandes, 59, a four-time Washington State Senior Amateur champion, never led. Lutz was 2-up after nine holes and made it 3-up at the par-3 11th when he one-putted for par.
Lutz's lead grew to 4-up after Brandes hit into two bunkers at the par-4 13th. The match ended at No. 15 when Brandes missed the green to the left and failed to sink his par putt, giving the match to Lutz.
"I was really frustrated that I was unable to win this tournament in the past, and I thought I might quit," Lutz said. "But I stayed with it, managed to try it one more time. You get that close so many times to something and you don't break through, it's kind of heartbreaking."
Lutz's heart was full Thursday at Hidden Creek. And the best part of it was the hug his mother gave him.
"That was special," he said, "really good."
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