A birdie on the par-5 17th hole gave Ford Branch Jr. a one-shot triumph in the 43rd annual Father’s Day golf tournament, played Sunday at the Princeton Golf and Country Club.
Branch finished at 6-under-par-66, one shot better than defending champion John H. Stevens.
“I played really well the first seven holes,” said Branch, who recorded five birdies on the front side while carding a 32. “After that I just couldn’t make any putts and kinda went into par mode.”
Branch birdied Nos. 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 Sunday afternoon to quickly get into contention with Stevens, who fired his 5-under 67 in the morning round.
A birdie on the par-5 14th hole moved Branch to 6-under, but a bogey on 16 left him tied for the lead with two holes to go.
Branch missed the fairway off the tee on No. 16 but was still left with only a short pitch shot to the green. However, his second shot nicked a limb and fell short into a bunker, leading to his only bogey of the day.
“The plan was to par 16 and then birdie 17 and build a little cushion,” Branch noted. “I knew 67 had been posted in the morning.”
Branch said he stayed out of trouble for the most part.
“I had a good up-and-down on 12. And I still don’t know how I hit the limb on 16. But that was really the only trouble I had.”
The win gives Branch his fourth Father’s Day title, trailing only John Hobby’s five championships in the event.
Stevens, who won last year’s tournament with a 66, was still among the winners on Sunday. He and his father, Irl, who finished third overall with a 4-under 68, were the top father-son team in the event.
Former champion David Salyers and Carrell Boyd were next on the leaderboard with 3-under 69s.
Billy Boyd was one of three players to shoot 70. He and Natalie Boyd, who carded a 95, were the top father-daughter tandem.
Bill Ladd and former champion Roy Boisture also finished at 2-under 70.
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FATHER’S DAY TOURNAMENT
Sunday at Princeton Golf and Country Club
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
Ford Branch Jr. 66
John H. Stevens 67
Irl Stevens 68
David Salyers 69
Carrell Boyd 69
Bill Ladd 70
Roy Boisture 70
Billy Boyd 70
Lee Hughes 71
Brad Webster 72
Michael Prowell 72
Wes Tomek 73
Joe Phelps 73
Bruce Farmer 73
Barrett Boyd 74
Jeffrey Bard 75
Tracy Wilhelm 75
Parker McCalister 75
Brent Ladd 75
Trent Burton 75
FIRST FLIGHT
Dennis Tomek 76
Ford Branch Sr. 76
Tommy Beshear 76
James Marlin 77
Gordon Rahn 77
Red Salyers 77
Dane Hodges 78
Dixon Taylor 78
Scott Seibert 78
Don Webster 78
Mike Petty 79
John Brown 79
Odie Palm 79
Kyle Rogers 80
Daniel Taylor 80
SECOND FLIGHT
Michael Ortt 81
Blake Hodges 81
Michael Brown 81
Wayne Hamby 82
Tyler Beshear 82
Timmy Beshear 82
Ben VanHooser 82
Taylor Curtis 82
Kelly Davis 82
Randy Bruce 83
Brian Petty 83
Gaylon Sumner 84
Mike Wynn 84
Matt Kennedy 84
Curtis Brown 85
Mike Wheeler 85
THIRD FLIGHT
Rachel Miller 86
Mike Sumner 86
Dennis Kirk 86
Jay Davis 86
Joe Curtis 87
Jack Kennedy 87
Dale Morris 87
Mitch Threlkeld 88
Kenny Boaz 88
Andy Viehland 88
Richard Coffey 88
Bunny Stevens 88
Tyler Carner 89
Timmy Wheeler 89
Scottie Seibert 89
Frankie Brown 90
Paul Seibert 90
Stephen Boyd 90
David Wilhelm 90
Steve Ortt 90
FOURTH FLIGHT
David Stout 91
Mike Boyd 91
Rollie Fortner 91
Frankie Phillips 92
Steve Miller 92
Barry McCalister 92
Nathan Faughn 93
Brian Carner 94
Jamey Palm 94
Natalie Boyd 95
Gary Curtis 96
T.L. Williams 96
D.J. Gates 97
Tiger Traylor 97
Drake VanHooser 97
Howie Stevens 98
Andrew Kirk 98
FIFTH FLIGHT
Will Taylor 101
Waynee McGowan 101
Dustin Mitchell 101
Josh Brown 101
Harold Morris 102
Harvey Mitchell 103
Josh Hargrove 104
Matt Crawford 107
John Boaz 108
Marc Graham 110
Kara Hargrove 114
Jonathon Beshear 115
Austin Phelps 116
Ian Brown 119
Gary Baulos 123
Katherine Farmer 124
Gabbie Stevens 132
