Cook And Grace Win Harvey Penick Inviational Titles

Kenny Cook won the mid-amateur division of the 77th Harvey Penick Invitational at Austin Country Club while John Grace captured the senior division.

Mid-Amateur Division

Cook, of Noblesville, Indiana, shared the lead after the first round, moved into the lead after a second round 68, and maintained the lead throughout the final round in spite of a closing 69 by defending champion Brian Noonan of Austin.    Cook’s golf resume is impressive. It includes a second in the 2011 U.S. Mid-Amateur tournament and several good finishes in USGA events.  Click here to read more about Kenny Cook.

Brian Noonan’s two under par total of 214 was good enough to capture second place four shots behind Cook.  Noonan, a three time Austin Men’s Champion and of winner of the Firecracker Open recently finished third in the Texas Mid-Amateur Championship.

Colby Harwell, shown here, and John Ehrgott posted a one under par 215 total to finish third, one shot behind Noonan.  Harwell  is a consistent figure on leaderboards in Texas Golf Association tournaments, claims Ridgewood Country Club in Waco as his home club, and finished fourth last year in the Penick.  His golf resume includes wins at the Crane Cup, the Carlton Woods Invitational and the Waco City Championship among numerous other accomplishments.  Click here to read more about Colby Harwell.

Senior Division

John Grace, who plays at Shady Oaks in Fort Worth Texas, shot a record total of 10 under par to win the senior division by ten shots over Bob Kearney, the defending champion of the senior category.  Grace shot 69-68-69=210.

Thomas Johnson of Austin and Bob Kearney shot 68 in the first round to lead Grace by a shot.  They stumbled in the second round while Grace fired 68 to establish a commanding seven shot lead headed into the final round.  His final round 69 was the low round of the day in the senior division and he won going away.

Grace, a former Walker Cup player, has been a premier player in Texas golf for decades, having the distinction of being the only player to win the Texas Amateur, Texas Mid-Amateur and Texas Senior Championship.  He has qualified for and played in several U.S. Senior Opens and won numerous titles over the years.  Click here to read more about his golf resume.

Kearney, who finished at even par for the tournament, has also been among the top golfers in Texas for the past 20 years.  He has won multiple titles including both Mid-Amateur and Senior divisions of the Harvey Penick.

Mike Allen was the top Austin finisher in the senior category, shooting 73-73-72 to finish fifth.

Austin Country Club was in great condition and the staff did a marvelous job of presenting the club to the contestants, who were very complementary of the course and the service provided.   There will not be a 2015 Harvey Penick Invitational due to a golf course restoration project that will take place at ACC beginning in January 2015.

The entire field scores are available at this link.

More photos from the tournament: