By John RittenhouseConsidering the outcome of the Seniors’ Club Tournament played at the Luverne Country Club, George McDonald likely felt a bit greedy Sunday.For the first time in the history of the event, McDonald completed a tournament sweep by winning the low gross and low net tournament championships.McDonald was hesitant when accepting both trophies that go along with winning the tournament titles during the awards ceremony following the event.As some time passed, and the significance of what he accomplished sank in, he unleashed his unique sense of humor."My wife is going to have a hard time sleeping tonight with both of these trophies in our bed," he quipped.McDonald is no stranger to winning LCC titles, but he seemed especially pleased with his performance on Sunday. He shot a two-over-par 74 over 18 holes to win his gross championship. Subtracting his eight shot handicap, McDonald turned a net 66 to lead the 23-player field.Counting Sunday’s victory, McDonald has earned eight LCC championships. He won four Men’s Club Tournament crowns between the years 1968 and 1984. After repeating as the low gross champion of the Seniors’ Club Tournament Sunday, McDonald has captured four Seniors’ titles since 1998."I played really well today. I made five birdies today, and I probably didn’t make five birdies the first four months of the season," he joked."I putted very well," he added. "I only had 10 putts during the first round, and 15 putts during the second round. I usually think I’m playing pretty well when I finish 18 holes with 32 putts. I finished with 25 putts today, which is seven fewer than 32."McDonald, who became the first player in the 60-69 division to win the tournament’s gross championship by winning a one-hole playoff against Tim Connell in 2003, made an early statement Sunday.After taking a double-bogey on the first hole, McDonald finished the first round with a one-under-par 35. He recorded four birdies (holes No. 2, No. 3, No. 5 and No. 9), made par three times and recorded one bogey over the final eight holes of the opening round.Dave Iverson, who was playing in McDonald’s threesome in the 60-69 division, emerged as McDonald’s top challenger.Iverson carded a one-over-par 37 during an opening round that consisted of one birdie, six pars and two bogeys to trail the leader by two strokes.Connell, competing in the 50-59 division, was three shots off the pace at the end of the first round after turning in a three-over-par 38.McDonald and Steve Sehr, a member of the 50-59 division, shot tournament-low 39s during the second round of the event.Iverson, however, was the player McDonald was concerned about as Connell slipped out of contention after shooting a 44 during the second round.Iverson trimmed McDonald’s lead to one shot when he made par on the par-5 11th hole during the final round, and he found himself trailing the leader by one shot again when he recorded a birdie on the par-4 15th hole.McDonald extended his lead to two shots by making par on the par-3 16th hole, and picked up two more shots on Iverson by registering a birdie on the par-5 17th hole.McDonald finished the event with a bogey on the par-4 18th hole, where Iverson made par to finish three shots (74-77) behind the champion at tournament’s end. Jack Bennett, a member of the 50-59 division, shot a pair of 40s to finish the event with an 80. Bennett placed third behind McDonald and Iverson in the gross competition."I had to be the luckiest player out there," McDonald said. "When Dave’s (Iverson) ball went into the trees, it ended up behind the trees. Every time I hit the ball into the trees, it seemed like I had wide open paths to shoot out of."Iverson finished second behind McDonald in the low net standings (66-67), too.Claude Van Driel, a member of the 70-and-over division, shared second place with Iverson in the low net competition.Bennett and Dave Gangestad, another member of the 50-59 division, shared fourth place in the net competition with net 68s.Bennett’s 80 gave him the gross championship in the 50-59 division. Gangestad (41-41-82) and Connell (38-44-82) share second place in the division’s gross standings.Bruce Olson and Luck Fey both carded net 72s to finish tied for third place in the net competition in the 50-59 division.McDonald and Iverson placed first and second, respectively, in the gross and net competition in the 60-69 division.Ray Hoogeveen carded an 86 (42-44) to place third in the 60-69 division’s gross competition. Virgil Van Hulzen and Elmer Menage shot net 72s to share third place in the flight’s net competition.Van Driel emerged as a double-winner in the 70-and-over division. Van Driel shot a gross 85 (42-43) and a net 67 to win both titles.Don Cashin placed second to Van Driel with gross 95 (46-49) and net 73 efforts in the 70-and-over division. Marv Gonnerman placed third in the division with gross 104 and net 79 tallies.
