Roger Chapman’s fairy tale 2012 campaign reached new heights as he added the US Senior Open Championship to his US Senior PGA Championship title, sealing an extraordinary Major double for the Englishman.
The 53 year old fired a superb four under par closing 66 for a ten under par total of 270 to finish two shots clear of the American trio of Fred Funk, Tom Lehman and Corey Pavin and German Bernhard Langer at Indianwood Golf and Country Club.
Chapman, who will now target a unique treble when he plays in The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex in two weeks’ time, became the first Englishman to win the US Senior Open Championship, creating another piece of history.
His victory sealed a remarkable two months for the European Senior Tour Order of Merit leader, who in May became the first European to win the US Senior PGA Championship since Jock Hutchison in 1947 when he claimed that title in May at Harbor Shores, also in Michigan.
Chapman started the final round at Indianwood Golf and Country Club four shots behind fellow Senior Tour Member Langer, but bridged the gap with birdies on the second and eight holes before the turn, as two-time Masters Champion Langer double bogeyed the second and dropped a further shot on the seventh.
The gap widened when Chapman birdied the 11th and 14th holes before dropping his only shot of the day on the 16th hole. As Funk, Lehman and Pavin piled on the pressure, Chapman held firm and gave himself a two shot cushion heading down the last with a birdie on the 17th, stopping a superb five iron tee shot from 202 yards just six inches from the pin – ‘a career shot’ in Chapman’s own words.
Langer finished with back-to-back birdies to claim a share of second place, but the day belonged once again to Chapman, whose wife Cathy was in the crowd to share in the celebrations of his stunning second Major Championship in six weeks.
“I just love this area,” said an emotional Chapman. “It’s been a wonderful experience for me and my wife this week. She wasn’t able to be at Harbor Shores so this is special.
“I just want to dedicate this to my family. They’ve stuck by me for 30 years and without them I would not be here.”
