Veteran will return to defend Constellation Energy Senior Players
TIMONIUM, Md. – After 33 years as a touring pro, the impact of winning his first major championship didn’t hit D.A. Weibring until he played the following week.
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“I’m introduced on the first tee as, ‘Major Champion, Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship,’” recalled Weibring, 56, of his ah-ha moment at the Administaff Small Business Classic, near his adopted home in Texas.
Weibring has won five PGA Tour titles and five more on the Champions circuit, has earned more than $12 million, and built a highly-successful course-design business. But little could compare to the feeling of finally winning a major on his 65th attempt (39 on the PGA Tour and 26 on the Champions Tour).
“I think I had the lead in every [PGA] major the last day, except for the Masters. So I had my chances,” said Weibring. “When I came to the Champions Tour, that was one of my main goals. I wanted to win, but I really wanted to win that major.”
Seventy-eight players, including Weibring, will have that chance Oct. 1-4 when the Constellation Senior Players Championship, the final major on the Champions Tour schedule, returns to Baltimore Country Club (Five Farms).
Weibring has yet to finish better than 15th in 10 Champions Tour events this year and has not played a major. His attention has been elsewhere, however, as daughter Allie, a college senior, was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Son Matt Weibring, 29, is a rookie this year on the PGA Tour.
Considering what Weibring has experienced this year, his victory at last year’s Constellation might have been his last chance.
“There was relief last year. There’s no doubt about it, because you don’t know how many more years,” said Weibring. “We have all had certain injuries and challenges. But I felt relief to get that major under my belt. I would have been disappointed.”
After a 17-year run in Michigan, the Senior Players Championship moved to Baltimore in 2007. Financially-troubled Constellation Energy has a five-year commitment to sponsor through 2011.
McLister follow-on
When Leesburg’s Kevin McLister qualified for the U.S. Amateur last week, he followed a trail blazed by brother, Joey McLister, an Amateur qualifier four years earlier.
Firing a 69-69 — 138, McLister, a member at Loudoun Golf and Country Club, tied for second place in a field of 137 at Westwood Country Club Monday and Tuesday. He will play his first U.S. Amateur Aug. 24-30 at Southern Hills (Okla.). Joey played in the 2005 Amateur at Merion (Pa.).
Kevin McLister, a former standout point guard in basketball and shortstop in baseball at Loudoun County High, also followed his brother to college at Delaware, where Joey McLister was the most successful player in program history.
“Every time I go to a tournament, my dad will say, ‘Joey did this and Joey did that,’” said Kevin McLister, 20. “I think he expects me to do everything that Joey did.”
McLister, who had the fourth-best scoring average (76.9) as a sophomore this year at Delaware, has had a strong summer, making the cut last month at the Virginia Open, which draws the top professionals and amateurs in the state, and the Eastern Amateur, which includes many of the nation’s top college players.
Joey McLister, who holds eight program records at Delaware, is struggling on the Gateway Tour, earning $3,870 in 20 events this season.
Barillo wins at Argyle
Mikey Barillo had a distinct advantage Thursday in the 3rd Charley Ridgway Junior. The Washington Metropolitan Golf Association event, for players 13-and-under, was held at Argyle Country Club, where his father, Mike Barillo, is the head professional.
Barillo (79) of Germantown used his knowledge of the Silver Spring course to walk away with a 3-shot victory over T.J. Boyle (82) of Laytonsville.
In last week’s other WMGA junior event, recent Gonzaga graduate Garrett Fitzgerald (71-71 — 142) of Arlington rolled to an impressive victory by 7 strokes in the 87th Bob Riley Junior Open, one of the oldest junior events in the nation. Tim Gregg (77-72 — 149) of Bethesda was second.
Mason Short (73-72 — 145) was winner of the 14-15 Division and Alex Zakrzeski (77-78 — 155) took the 13-and-under competition last week at Belle Haven.
Morris qualifies
Bob Morris, 62, of Great Falls shot a 3-under-par 69 at the Dominion Club Monday to qualify for the U.S. Senior Amateur. Morris, the 2007 Virginia Senior Amateur champion, tied for medal honors with J.P. Leigh, 61, of Suffolk, a four-time Virginia Senior Stroke-Play winner.
Both advance to the USGA Senior Amateur, Sept. 12-17, at Beverly Country Club in Chicago. The Middle Atlantic Golf Association will hold a Senior Am qualifier Thursday at Mount Vernon Country Club.
