Joe Hayden and Thad Winter of Fort Wayne claimed their first Indiana Golf Association win after defeating 46 teams at the Mid Amateur Team Championship at The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin. They shot a second round 6-under-par 66 for a two-day total 131.

The tournament was a 36-hole event with the first round played on Sunday, April 27th, in a “Pinehurst” Alternate Shot format and the final round Monday in a Four Ball format. All male Indiana amateurs age 30 and over with a handicap of 5.0 or less were welcomed.

This was Hayden’s first IGA tournament since playing junior golf, and the two had never paired together for this event. However, their success was in their teamwork. “It really was a team effort out there today. When Thad was out of the hole, I played well and vice versa,” said Hayden.

Winter’s three birdies and Hayden’s four demonstrated that team effort. The first birdie came on hole No. 4, and they strung together four more on holes six through nine for a front round total of 31. “After the fifth hole we made putts. Putting well was the biggest difference on that stretch of holes,” explained Hayden. On the par-5 10th hole, the putting streak slipped. Hayden was just off the back edge of the green after going for it in two shots. He chipped it on to leave himself a putt for the opportunity at a fifth straight birdie, but two-putted for par.

The team recorded their only bogey of the tournament at the 11th hole after hitting approach shots left of the green. Neither player converted the up and down to save par, but they quickly recovered their putting and score by hole 14. Hayden hit a great drive over a bunker to the middle of the fairway on the dogleg par-4, 14th hole and then drained a 25-foot putt for birdie to get his team back to even on the back nine.

Hole 17 was where they made their final birdie of the day to take the lead. Winter was in the rough right of the fairway on his drive but hit a 9-iron to within six feet of the hole and made the putt to go 13-under for the tournament. A par at the 18th clinched the victory.

After their success in this team competition, they plan on pairing together for the IGA Four Ball in September at Rock Hollow Golf Course in Peru.

Rob Carmichael and Rick Hardesty from Plymouth, who were tied for first heading into the second round, fired a final round 67 for a total score of 132 to finish as runner-ups. Jerry McMullen and Bill Barnes of Carmel shot 133 and tied for third with Randy Nichols of Brookville and Skip Runnels of Richmond.

Players competed for a $3,790 purse, with the team champions receiving $700 in merchandise certificates.

The next IGA event is the Tournament of Champions at Fox Prairie Golf Course in Noblesville on May 9-10.

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