Overnight rains brought relief from the searing heat that had plagued the region for nearly a week and brought welcome temperatures in the 70s as Adam Tomicich (WingHaven Country Club) held on to claim the Louis Cassett Trophy for The St. Louis District Golf Association (STLDGA) Senior Championship at Persimmon Woods Golf Club on Wednesday, Aug. 19. Fellow WingHaven member Ron Sherstoff captured the Tony Miller Trophy for the Super Seniors tournament.
The championship is 36 hole stroke-play gross competitions for any district members at least 50 years old. The Super-Senior division is for those at least 65 years old. The top five Seniors along with top two Super-Seniors qualify for the Jim Jackson Invitational.
In Thursday’s first round, Tomicich carded four birdies on the front nine and finished at four-under 67 to hang on for a one-stroke lead over yet another WingHaven member Scott McClellan.
But the drama built throughout the final nine holes, and Tomicich knew round two was going to be challenging. “I warmed up on the range, swing didn’t feel the same,” he noted. “I knew it was going to be a grind, and it was.”
The course absorbed nearly half an inch of rain overnight, but Tomicich was happy with the course’s condition. “As long as you were in the fairway, you were good,” he said. “Rough was really tough. Greens were nice, had to hit the right pace, that was all.”
Tomicich and McClellan were even through 11. Tomicich fell behind by a stroke with a bogey at 13, but rallied to reclaim the lead with birdies on 14 and 15.
Tomicich relied on the tried and true. “Just one shot at a time, y’know, the old cliche, but it was difficult,” he said. “I made birdies on 14 and 15, those were key … helped me relax a little bit.”
Meanwhile, McClellan kept playing par golf and got the opening he was waiting for on 17, but then couldn’t capitalize. “I hit a bad shot on 17, got a bogey and played 18 kinda safe after Scottie put it in the water,” Tomicich said.
Forced to take a drop, McClellan simplified Tomicich’s strategy for the final hole. “I was going to go for it, no brainer, had to go for it,” Tomichch acknowledged. “But once he put it in the water, make him make a long putt to beat me. So, I laid up, played smart and not do anything stupid!”
McClellan eventually double bogeyed 18 ensuring that Tomicich’s 4-over 75 was going to be enough to hang on for the title. As a result, McClellan fell to third, two strokes back.
Two-time defending champ Skip Berkmeyer (The Legends Country Club) was the only player under par in the second round and was runner-up 2-over 144. Berkmeyer was seven strokes back after the first round, but couldn’t quite complete an historic rally.
Paul Newman (Persimmon Woods Golf Club) at four over 146 and Rob Reidelberger (St. Clair Country Club) at five over 147 also qualify for the the Jackson at Algonquin Golf Club in October.
Super Seniors
In Thursday’s first round, Scott Lambert (Forest Hills Country Club) fired a 1-over-par 72 to hold a slim one-stroke lead over Sherstoff, but Lambert suffered through four bogeys during the first seven holes on the back nine Wednesday to fall back. Meanwhile, Sherstoff was the only competitor under par in round two with a 2-under 69 to comfortably win by seven shots with an even par 142.
Sherstoff’s plan was just to keep the ball in play. “If you kept it in the fairway, it made it a lot easier,” he said. “Made some longer putts and made some short ones. Everything kind of fell together today nicely.”
Sherstoff didn’t think the overnight rains dramatically impacted the course. “A little, just was wetter, so tried to keep it out of the rough,” he stated. “If you did that, you were in great shape.”
Runner-up Steven Nahrup (Whitmoor Country Club) followed his opening round 76 with a 2-over par 73 to finish at 149, while Lambert slipped to third at at 8-over 150.
Super Seniors 2025 champ Tim Eaton (Quincy Country Club) did not participate.
Persimmon Woods is a private, golf-only club that places a premium on fairness for all types of golfers, but fashioned with th utmost quality and challenge for the area’s top players. Located in Weldon Spring just west of Chesterfield, the property was the Haenssler family farm, long-time St. Charles County residents. Designed by course architect Keith Foster, Persimmon Woods opened for business in 1998.