Nichols fires record 67 in Flaorida Senior Games
Robert Nichols of Englewood shot a five-under-par 67 Tuesday at The Golf Club at Magnolia Landing to set a new all-time record score in the 17-year history of the Florida Senior Games State Championships.
The previous low was 68 shot on four occasions. Nichols becomes the sixth golfer in the history of the Games to card a score under 70.
Nichols, 52, toured the front nine in 33 strokes, with a birdie on the par-3 second hole and an eagle on the par-5 ninth. His 34 on the back nine included a birdie on the par-4 17th hole and a second eagle on the par-5 18th.
His eagle on the 485-yard ninth hole was set up by a 325-yard drive, followed by a 9-iron shot onto the green eight inches from the cup. On the 472-yard 18th hole, Nichols began with a 280-yard drive and a 7-iron shot to the green. He sank a 25-foot putt on his final stroke of the day.
“I had some flashes of brilliance today,” said Nichols, who played collegiate golf at Pensacola Junior College and the University of Toledo. “The birdies made up for the two bogeys when I three-putted a couple of times.”
Nichols carries a +2 handicap, but says his claim to fame are 27 holes-in-one made during his career. He was urged to participate in the Games by his father, Robert Nichols Sr., a former Florida Senior Games athlete who competed in swimming and racquetball.
Cori Downing of Winter Park joined Nichols in setting all-time best scores with record-breaking times in the Cycling 5K & 10K time trials. Her time of 7:39.25 in the 5K was 19 seconds faster than the previous all-time best set by Joann McCranels of Riveria Beach in 1998. Her 10K time of 15:48.43 beat the previous mark by 1:11. The previous mark was 16:59, set by Margo Schneider of Clearwater in 1998.
Downing, participating in her first Florida State Championships, was a 2007 Duathlon National Champion in her age group.
Also setting 5K & 10K records in the 80-84 age group was Phyllis Goodland of Dade City, whose mark of 11:35.59 in the 5K broke the previous record, set in 1998, by more than two minutes. Her 10K time of 24:35.83 broke Mary Peterson’s record time of 26:17 from 1994.
In the men’s competition, Eric Lippens, of Naples, broke his own 5K record in the 60-64 age group and set a new mark in the 10K with a time of 14:46.80, 22 seconds better than the previous 60-64 age group record.
Wednesday’s schedule includes action in women’s golf at Magnolia Landing in North Fort Myers, horseshoes at the Estero Community Center and singles tennis at Florida Gulf Coast University.
The 2008 Florida Senior Games State Championships features more than 2,000 athletes age 50 and over competing in 23 sports.
Complete results can be found online at www.flasports.com.