PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – ‘Nerves,’ Don Miller began to answer when questioned how they held up during the final round of the Golf Channel Amateur Tour’s Senior National Championship, ‘they were frayed.’
Nonetheless, Miller managed a 13-over 85 Friday at the TPC Valley Course to defeat Sal Minicozzi by four strokes in the Senior Hogan Flight (handicap 8.0-11.9).
‘All I could think about was Dustin Johnson,’ Miller said, both referring to Johnson’s U.S. Open collapse and PGA Championship rules debacle.
‘I didn’t have any expectations this week. I was here for a nice trip with my wife. She’s the one who encouraged me to come so I could play [the Stadium Course] at TPC Sawgrass.’
It was Miller’s 79 in Round 3 on the Stadium Course – the only sub-80 score among his flight Thursday – that propelled him to the lead.
‘I figured if I shot 85 [Friday] then anybody would have to break 80 to beat me,’ he said.
Minicozzi did shot 7-over 79 for the low score on the day in his flight by four strokes. But even that wasn’t enough to overcome Miller.
‘I’m a national champion,’ Miller, a 65-year-old from North Bay, Ontario said. ‘I’m speechless.