Riverside, Iowa – John Bermel of Pheasant Ridge Golf Course won the season long Senior Match Play after defeating Steve Hutton in the final match. This marks the first time Bermel has won the Senior Match Play in his career.
The season long Senior Match Play was a single elimination match play Championship. Players were seeded upon last year’s Player of the Year point list and reputation. The Championship was broken into an East and West bracket with the winner from each region facing off in the Championship Match.
After advancing out of their respective brackets Bermel and Hutton squared off in the Championship match. It took 22 holes, but in the end it was Bermel knocking off the two-time defending Senior Match Play Champion.
Bermel earned a first round bye in the West bracket of the 2018 Senior Match Play due his Player of the Year Points in 2017. He faced Brad Clark in the second round defeating him 3&2. He then went on to knock off the 2017 Senior Match Play runner-up, Monte Meyer, of South Hills Golf Course 4&2 in the third round. Bermel faced Jeff Smith of Harvest Point in the West Bracket Championship. Bermel was victorious again with a 2&1 victory over Smith.
Earlier this year Bermel won the Iowa Open Senior Division. He carded a 3-under-par 69 in the final round for a tournament total 9-under-par 207. Bermel went wire-to-wore to secure his victory and tallied 13 birdies, 37 pas and four bogeys in his three rounds. Bermel also qualified for the 52nd Professional National Championship with a T5 finish at the 2018 Iowa PGA Professional Championship, and the 2018 Senior PGA Professional Championship with a second-place finish at the Iowa Senior PGA Championship.
In addition to those events, Bermel has five top-five finishes in Iowa PGA Section events this year, including a victory at the Junior Academy Senior Stroke Play Event.