Adam Decker, University of Richmond’s Men’s Golf Coach, claimed his first senior title in a landslide victory at the 2024 MAPGA Senior Professional Championship At Kingsmill Resort (River Course). He shot a total score of eight-under par (134) and won by an astonishing eight shots.
Decker shot two-under par (69) in the first round of the tournament. He carded three birdies and one bogey during the round, and he found himself tied for the lead with two other players.
Joining Decker at the top of the leaderboard following the first round were Dick Mast and Maggie Will who have both found success on the PGA and LPGA Tours, respectively. Mast has played in over 550 tour events between the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions, while Will was a three-time LPGA Tour winner during her 21-year long career on tour.
Will and Decker also coached alongside each other at the University of Richmond from 2012-2014.
Decker started his second round in a tie for the lead, but it didn’t stay that way for long. After birdies on his first and third holes, Decker took a two-shot lead. After getting up and down on the eighth and ninth holes, he made the turn at three-under par on the day and he led the field by five shots. At that point, he didn’t know he was leading, but he said he was feeling good about his game plan.
“(For the back nine) I really didn’t have any change of game plan,” Decker said, “I just kind of take it one shot at a time and see what happens, and that all worked out pretty well.”
He recorded three birdies on the back nine on holes 11, 14, and 15. His birdie on the par-five 15th hole gave him a nine shot lead until Will birdied the par-three 17th hole, and up until the 17th hole, Decker still hadn’t seen the leaderboard.
“I didn’t think too much about scores or leaderboards, and in fact, I didn’t look at any scores until after the tee shot on 17,” Decker said, “So, I felt pretty comfortable knowing that I was playing well and just let the chips fall where they may.”
This was the first senior event Decker was old enough to play in and after not playing in many tournaments over the last few years, he was glad he played. He believes this event will help him as the Spiders’ golf team begins their fall season.
“It’s good for me to get out and feel the nerves and kind of understand what the guys are feeling out there. I can get in my own little world out there as a spectator and expect a little more out of the guys than I probably should,” Decker said, “So, I think that getting out and playing and experiencing the emotions and the ups and downs was important.”
This event also served as a qualifier for the National Senior PGA Professional Championship which will take place just under a month from now on September 26th -29th. The event will be held in Sunriver, OR at the Sunriver Resort, Meadows and Woodland Courses.
Jon Corliss (Heron Ridge Golf Club), Craig Gunn (Danville Golf Club), Dick Mast (PGA Life Member), and Brendan McGrath (Trump National Golf Club) who secured his spot after four playoff holes, qualified for the national event.
We want to thank Kingsmill Resort for hosting this event, and we also want to thank all of the staff and crew there who helped make this a great event.