Four golfers added their names to the list of players in this week's Senior PGA Utah Showdown in the qualifying tournament Monday at Wasatch Mountain State Park Golf Course.
Sid Corlis led the way with an 8-under-par 64 on the Lake Course, followed by Fritz Gambetta with a 66. Bill Poirot and Steve Veriato both shot 67s and edged Ronald Peay, who also shot 67, in a playoff. Those four will be in the field of 78 golfers who tee off Friday morning at Park Meadows Country Club.Alternates besides Peay included Bill Lytle and Lee Winston with 68s and G.W. Malm and Jim-my Adams with 69s.
Carl Selkirk, the Californian who crashed his plane in Midvale Saturday attempting to get to Heber for the qualifying, finished in a group of golfers at 70.
SHOWDOWN NOTES: The tournament lost another big name when Arnold Palmer decided to withdraw after competing in last week's Senior Open where he made the cut . . . The four golfers who received sponsor's exemptions for the tournament include three Bobs and a baseball Hall of Famer. Ex-Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench, former Utahn Bob Betley, Bob Wynn and Bob E. Smith, were all granted exemptions into the field of 78 this week. Bench is making his Senior Tour debut, while Betley is making his first senior appearance of the year . . . Leonard Thompson withdrew from the tournament Monday . . . A strong downpour hit the Park Meadows course Monday afternoon just as a pro-am was finishing up.