Two Senior Amateur Champions Crowned

George "Buddy" Marucci, Jr. defeated George Zahringer, 2-up to win the USGA Senior Amateur Championship at Shady Oaks Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. Surprisingly, the victory was the long-time amateur's first USGA title. The closest he came previously was in the 1995 U.S. Amateur Championship, where he lost to a young Tiger Woods.

"We have a small fraternity of guys who have lost to Tiger, so it's good to finally get one," said Marucci. In addition to his breakthrough win, the 55-year-old received a gold medal, the Frederick L. Dold Trophy, and invitations to play in the 2009 and 2010 U.S. Senior Opens and 2009 U.S. Amateur.

The match in the 18-hole final was tight throughout, though Marucci never trailed. He went 2-up after winning holes 7 and 8, then lost 10 before taking the next two holes. Three down with six to play, Zahringer fought back, winning 13 and 14.

But Marucci saved par from 8 feet on No. 16 and then sealed the deal with some clutch shots on the final two holes. On 18, seeking to keep a 1-up lead, he resisted the safe play on his approach from 158 yards and went for the flag, landing his 7-iron shot about 10 feet away.

Zahringer could not make birdie and lost the match. "I've been playing against these guys all my life and to finally win one is amazing," said Marucci. "I'm still in a bit of shock, it hasn't sunk in yet, but it's wonderful."

"I think Buddy's iron play was better than mine today, as was his putting," said Zahringer, the 2002 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion. "That may have been the difference."

Lang Wins USGA Senior Women's Amateur

Diane Lang, 53, of Jamaica, claimed her third USGA Senior Women's Amateur title in four years Thursday, beating Toni Wiesner, 61, of Fort Worth, Texas, 6 and 5, in the final match at Tulsa Country Club in Oklahoma.

Lang, who also won in 2005 and '06, took control final by winning five consecutive holes to go 6 up after the 10th. With her win, Lang, who now lives in Weston, Fla., becomes the sixth woman to win the Senior Women's Amateur three or more times. She was also a semifinalist in 2007, making her 22-1 in four years of matches at this championship for women 50 and older.

"I'm really, really happy," said Lang, after holing a 16-foot putt for par on the 13th hole to close out the match. "This is my most special one. This makes all the hard work worthwhile. I put in a lot of sweat and tears over the last year to get my name on that trophy again. For a little girl from Jamaica, that ain't half bad."

Wiesner, a two-time finalist (1997 and 2000), was vying to become the first left-handed female USGA champion. "I don't seem to be able to put it together in the final," said Wiesner. "Maybe I put too much pressure on myself. I just couldn't get off the tee today. My tee shots killed me. I feel like I have done a lot. This would have just been icing on the cake."

Lang won the final by the largest margin in Senior Women's Amateur history. Match play began in this championship in 1997. "I don't think I'm as good as I was in 2005 or 2006," said Lang, who began playing golf as a 13-year-old and came to Florida to attend Florida Atlantic University at age 20. "My driver is not as good, but mentally, I'm a lot tougher. I've been around the block a few times."

Portions of the above article are courtesy of the USGA.