Like old times

When Adam Cisne won the Jacksonville City Tournament men’s gross title last year, one of the first to congratulate him was his dad, Jim Cisne.

So when the elder Cisne sank his final putt on hole No. 18 Sunday to clinch the 2008 men’s gross title, Adam Cisne stood up and applauded his dad.

“I was wanting him to win after the first day I played,” said Adam Cisne, who was never in serious contention this year. “It’s been a long time coming. He deserves it.”

Jim Cisne shot a 2-over-par 74 Sunday to finish the four-round tournament at 4-over-par. Cisne won the tournament by four strokes.

“It feels good,” he said. “I’m 59, so I’m running out of years where I could possibly do it, so this might be the last year I have a good chance, and I was glad to pull it out.”

Cisne, who shot a 3-over-par 39 on the front nine Saturday, saw his lead dwindle to just two shots on the back nine. Although Bobby Sims, who was in second place after three rounds, was forced to withdraw from the tournament with back and hip pain, Cisne’s final round partners — Clay Yates and Mike Woods — pushed him until the end.

“I bogeyed the first two holes, so I kind of got off to a bad start, and those guys threw in a couple birdies, so they were gaining right away,” Cisne said. “I was thinking this lead is going to slip away real quick.”

Yates was only two shots behind Cisne on the back nine until Cisne scrambled for a par on hole No. 16, while Yates and Woods both took bogeys.

Cisne then wrapped up the title when he made a difficult 25-foot putt on No. 17.

“He’s good. He’s real good,” Yates said of Cisne. “He’s the best putter I’ve ever seen in my life.”

A three-time JCT champ during his college days at the University of Arkansas, Cisne ended a 30-year JCT title drought. Cisne was easily the most consistent golfer in the tournament, shooting scores of 72-74-72-74 en route to winning the title.

“It feels good,” he said. “It feels like a hard day’s work, though.”

Yates finished second, four shots behind Cisne, while Woods finished third, nine back. Scott Weber finished fourth and Adam Cisne finished fifth.

“I had a chance to win but I just couldn’t close it as usual,” said Yates, the 2006 JCT champ. “(Jim Cisne) putts like a machine. He made every putt.”

In the men’s net division, Chip Sutphen took first after playing his last two rounds at 15-under-par. Sutphen’s four-round total of 274 was six strokes better than second-place finisher Kevin Pennell.

“I’ve won once before, and it’s nice,” Sutphen said. “I was playing very relaxed. I didn’t worry about how I shot or anything. I was just trying to strike the ball.”

Bill Gibson finished third in the men’s net division, and Alex McAdams finished fourth. Andy Ezard finished fifth.

Bob Chumley and Pat Gibson finished tied for sixth. Gibson led the net division after three rounds, but turned in his worst round of the tournament on Sunday.

“I took a triple bogey on No. 3, and then I took a 9 on No. 13, and those two holes right there sum up everything,” said Gibson, who is the volleyball coach at Routt Catholic High School. “Let me put it this way, if it was a volleyball game, I would have subbed for myself.”

In the women’s gross division, Dianna Sutphen won her first-ever JCT title, edging out Paige Loughary by four strokes.

“I’ve worked hard and it paid off. I just played steady. I got in trouble on the last two holes, but I kept it together,” Sutphen said. “It’s the best round I’ve ever played in tournament play. I’ve been very lucky.”

In the women’s net division, Sharon Dobson continued her dominance over the field, winning her second JCT title in as many years.

Dobson won by 14 strokes over second-place finisher Penny Leonhard. Marcia Klusman finished third.

“The girls I played with this year were a lot of fun, and they played good,” Dobson said. “And I think that just helped me to play good.”