Lehman Claims Senior Win at Los Angeles C.C. and the George Thomas Invitational June 28

LOS ANGELES -- What started out as a three-horse race turned into a two-horse race on the back nine Saturday at Los Angels Country Club in the final round of the George C. Thomas Invitaional, and  Jim Lehman emerged as the winner, thanks to a final round of even-par 70.

That gave him a 54-hole total of 215 and a two-stroke victory over Gene Elliott and Robert F. Gerwin.

The 67-year-old Lehman, a former Minnesota Mid-Amateur champion and two-time MGA Senior Player of the Year, started the final round in first place at 145 (72-73), one shot ahead of Gerwin, 57, and two ahead of Elliott, 63, a former U.S. Senior Am champion. 

All three stayed bunched early on, but Gerwin fell back with a 5-over stretch over seven holes, from the seventh through the 13th.

So it came down to a contest between the four-time Minnesota Senior Amateur champ, Lehman, and the four-time Iowa Senior Am champ, Elliott. 

Lehman started the back nine one ahead, but Elliott pulled even with a birdie at the 10th. A birdie at the 14th put Lehman in front once again, but he bogeyed the 15th, which created another tie. 

The matter was decided on the next two holes, the 16th and 17th. Lehman parred them both, while Elliott doubled the 16th and bogeyed the 17th -- a three-shot swing.

Meanwhile, Gerwin was making a late push. He birdied the 15th and added another birdie at the 17th, which put him in sole possession of second, two behind Lehman. Elliott followed his troubles at 16 and 17 with a birdie at 18, which lifted him back into a tie with Gerwin for second.

Lehman finished the round with his 14th par of the day at 18. 

It was a long way back to fourth place at 223, where four players were tied, including Jerry Gunthorpe, a former U.S. Senior Am runner-up.

(George C. Thomas, in case anyone is wondering, was one of several architects who have worked on the design of Los Angeles Country Club, the site of the 2023 U.S. Open, but he is the one most responsible for making LACC the iconic course that it has become.)

George C. Thomas Invitational 
Los Angeles Country Club
Par 70
Los Angeles, Calif. 

Final Results 
1. Jim Lehman            72-73-70--215 (+5)
T2. Gene Elliott               73-74-70--217
T2. Robert Gerwin          70-76-71--217
T4. Bob Royak                73-76-74--223
T4. Doug Hanzel             76-74-73--223
T4, Jerry Gunthorpe        76-73-74--223
T4. Mike Rowley              73-75-75--223
T8. Mark Morgan             77-75-75--224
T8. Neal Barfield              74-75-75--224