Parker, Grace take victory in Cass 4-ball

By By Will Bardwell / staff writer
Sept. 15, 2003
While most of the field at Northwood Country Club was busy complaining about difficult hole placements on Sunday, Jud Grace and Doug Parker were scoring the low round of the tournament on their way to winning the Bill Cass Senior Four-Ball Championship.
Parker and Grace, who entered the third round one stroke back, shot a 62 on Sunday to finish at 14-under for the tournament with a 199.
While many of the field's teams were forced to play through nearly two hours of rain on Saturday, the weather was nearly perfect for Sunday's final round. Temperatures in the low 70s and a light breeze erased nearly ever trace of water from the course.
"The course was in very good shape," said Grace, who lives in Jackson. "This was the longest 6,100 yards I've ever played."
The pair shot six-under on the front nine, highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 517-yard No. 6 hole. The only blemish on their round was a bogey on the par-3 No. 13 hole, but it was outweighed by four more birdies on the back nine.
Over their three rounds, Grace and Parker holed 16 birdies.
"When you do that, you give yourself an opportunity to win," said Parker, a Madison resident. "We started fast today, and after that, it was just a question of how many birdies we'd get."
The score on Sunday followed rounds of 68 on Friday and 69 on Saturday. Parker said those two days helped prepare them to make their charge on the final day.
"We were both swinging good on the same day," Parker said. "This being the third day, we pretty much