New Jack of Clubs Gets Upper Hand in Senior Classic

The Ralphs Senior Classic? Now it’s the tournament that Jack won.

That would be Jack Kiefer, a 54-year-old from New Jersey who never played the PGA Tour and never won a tournament on the PGA Senior Tour--at least until Sunday at Rancho Park.

All Kiefer did was shoot a 63 to complete his second consecutive bogey-free round and hold off a record-tying performance by defending champion Dale Douglass to win his first pro title by one shot.

All in all, it was a fine day for the one-time club pro and former driving range owner.

In fact, it was his best, mainly because when it was over he picked up the winner’s check of $112,500.

“It’s been a long time,” said Kiefer, who said he was overcome with emotion afterward. “I’m holding it together pretty good right now.”

He really held it together with a club in his hand. Kiefer’s 197 total was 16-under par, but only one stroke better than Douglass, who tied the senior tour record and set a course record with a 61.

Douglass, who began the day six shots behind leader Jim Dent, shot 29 on the final nine holes and needed only 12 putts.

While Dent faded, failing to take part in the normal birdie barrage, Douglass moved quickly into contention.

He finally caught Kiefer with a birdie on the par-three 17th when he rolled in a 15-foot putt. Kiefer, standing on the 14th tee, knew he had to do something if he was going to win.

“There were a lot of birdies out there,” Kiefer said. “Thank goodness I had enough of them to hold up.”

Kiefer went out and birdied No. 14 when he hit an eight-iron to within 12 feet of the hole and made the putt.

Douglass was still one shot back, but only for a moment.

Douglass closed with a flourish. He knocked his drive on 18 into the right rough with trees in front, but he was able to hook his second shot onto the green and knock in a 12-footer to again tie Kiefer.

Kiefer won with his birdie on the 15th.

His second shot, a nine-iron, stopped two feet short of the hole. When Kiefer rolled in the putt, he had a one-shot lead, which was good news. Douglass was off the course, which was even better news.

“I was very happy he ran out of holes,” Kiefer said. “He really came out of nowhere.”

Nowhere is where Dent wound up. After playing the four par-five holes Saturday in five-under, Dent played them in two-under on Sunday.

Dent finished with a 71 and in a seven-way tie for fourth at 202 with Tony Jacklin and others. Jim Colbert’s final-round 66 put him in third place at 201.

Once again Rancho Park proved to be a golfer’s best friend. There were 38 more rounds shot in the 60s, for a three-day total of 108.

There were 858 birdies and 26 eagles in three rounds and the average score was 69.7, the lowest for any tournament on a par-71 course on the senior tour.

Kiefer took advantage of the setup, although he began the day with a case of nerves.

“I was more nervous than I’ve ever been on the senior tour,” he said. “I was three shots back, but I felt like if I could get a good start, I would have a chance.”

He followed his strategy perfectly. Kiefer birdied five of the first six holes to catch Dent and made birdie putts of 30, 20 and 25 feet. When his 15-foot birdie putt dropped in the hole at No. 9, Kiefer took the lead and never trailed.

“He birdied two holes after I tied him, so he did real good,” Douglass said. “I’m glad to see him win.”

Kiefer won several state titles in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but he made only one try at qualifying for the regular PGA Tour. He failed.

“I just wasn’t good enough,” he said.

But he didn’t feel that way about playing the senior tour. He quit as a club pro and earned his senior tour exemption in 1990 when he finished second to Simon Hobday at the senior qualifying tournament.

His best finish until Sunday was a second in 1992 at the Bruno’s Memorial Classic.

Kiefer’s day still was not complete. He had to finish while Douglass waited in the hospitality tent to see if Kiefer would falter.

Kiefer played 18 safely and two-putted from 25 feet for par, the second one a 2 1/2-foot comebacker.

“It was a little longer than I wanted,” he said.

Exactly like the wait for his first victory.