When you’re a scratch golfer, taking a few years off doesn’t really hurt your game.
So it goes for Cody Edwards, who won the Vernon Golf & Country Club’s men’s club championship 2012 before going on hiatus.
The 28-year-old Peters Tirecraft sales rep returned to competitive golf in style, registering rounds of 74-77-151 last weekend to defeat Thomas Yano by two strokes.
“My dad (Dennis Edwards) died of cancer and I took a break from golf,” said Cody. “I’ve played about 50 rounds this year and my driver and putter were working for me. I’m usually a pretty good par putter.”
Edwards reeled off two or three birdies each round and got himself out of trouble Sunday with a miraculous shot.
“I was four down with four to go (on Jesse Bowler) and I hit a 300-yard, three-wood out of the rough to within 15 feet on No. 15. My tee shot went left of the tee over to No. 12. That was the TSN Turning Point.”
Edwards birdied the 15th and finished by scoring pars on the final three holes, Bowler, who took the low net title at 137, double-bogyed No. 18 after recording bogeys on the three previous holes.
Both Edwards and Bowler pocketed $150 in pro shop dollars.
“I was going to buy a new putter but I’ll probably keep this one for a while,” laughed Edwards, who plays co-ed slo-pitch for the Misfits.
Norm Kreutz and Tom Ross, both multiple past champions, were not in the field of 80.
Jeff Kober posted a 154 to finish second in the first flight for a $100 pro shop gift card, while Andy Saunders was third at 158 for $75.
Doug Smith claimed the second flight low gross at 162 for $125 in pro shop dollars, one stroke in front of Lloyd Pollack and Larry Hackman.
Third flight low gross winner was Gary Hinkel at 163, followed by John (Wire) Price and Brian Revel, both at 170.
Garry Pruden, at 180, won the fourth flight low gross ahead of John Burns, 182, and Mike Dekker, at 184.
Marla Taylor carded 165 over two rounds to win the ladies title by one stroke over multiple-champion Karen Hassard, who took the senior low gross title. Nadien Haneman captured low net at 135. The trio each earned $150.
Brenda Samis topped the first flight with a 174, three strokes better than Debbie Fisher.
Denise McKay won the second flight at 189, followed by Geri Longworth, at 195.
There was a field of 40.