Jason Gobleck Captures Connecticut Senior PGA Professional Title; Earns Berth in 33rd Senior PGA Professional Championship
Going into today’s final round of the 70th Senior Connecticut PGA Championship Jason Gobleck admitted he was a little nervous. The 51-year old golf coach and teacher at the Golf Center at Lyman Orchards, said he wasn’t accustomed to playing in the final group.
After posting an even par round of 70 yesterday, Gobleck started today at Madison Country Club, one stroke behind first-round leader Mike Martin of Tashua Knolls.
“I was a bit out of my comfort zone,” Gobleck said. “I think the 15-foot birdie putt on hole number two settled me down.”
Well if that wasn’t enough to calm the nerves, Gobleck rattled off five straight birdies starting on number five, capping off the run with a 12-foot birdie putt straight up the hill on the par 3, ninth, posting a six-under-par 29 on the front nine.
“To be honest that almost made me more nervous,” Gobleck conceded. “I don’t believe I ever made five birdies in a row.”
With a six-shot lead with nine holes to play, Gobleck played steady on the back nine. His only hiccup was on the par 5, 14th hole where he hit out of bounds and had to get up and down for a double bogey. He bounced back with birdie on 15 and ended with a round of 66 for a 4-under par 136 total and a 5-shot margin of victory for his first Connecticut Section tournament win since moving in from the Metropolitan Section in 2019.
Ironically, Gobleck and his wife moved into a house in Madison that’s just four homes down from the 14th tee at Madison. “My wife rode her bike to watch me play today,” Gobleck said. “I think it’s the first time in 20 years that she’s been able to watch me play.”
Martin posted a final round 72 to finish second at 141. PGA Life Member and six-time Senior Champion Fran Marrello (74-68-142) finished third, one stroke better than Jan Wivestad (Crestbrook Park GC – 73-72-145) who was fourth.
By their finishes, Gobleck, Martin, Marrello, and Wivestad qualify for the 33rd Senior PGA Professional Championship, which will be played at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., on October 21-24, 2021.
The Senior PGA Professional Championship brings together a field of 264 contestants representing the PGA of America’s 41 nationwide Sections and features a total purse of $300,000.
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