Jacobs defends Porter Amateur title

With 11-year-old grandson as caddie, Valparaiso resident defeats Schwerdt in playoff

Valparaiso’s Bob Jacobs didn’t want another runner-up trophy.

Jacobs, with 11-year-old grandson Reid Carlson caddying for him, held off a charge from Jason Schwerdt to win the Porter Amateur in sudden death at the Valparaiso Country Club on Sunday.

Jacobs, who shot a 2-over-par 74 in the final round Sunday, finished the 54-hole event at 3-over. The other two rounds were at The Course at Aberdeen and Forest Park, where Jacobs shot a 1-over 73 and an even-par 70, respectively.

Schwerdt shot a 70 on Sunday to force the playoff. Jacobs won on the second playoff hole after Schwerdt missed a 7-foot putt for par on No. 2.

Jacobs, who won the Porter Amateur last year, had finished second this year in the Iowa Senior Open, the Indiana Senior Open and the Sand Creek Country Club Championship.

“I lost all of them by a shot,” he said. “I thought it was going to happen again.”

Schwerdt, who shot a 77 at Aberdeen and a 70 at Forest Park, made a back-nine charge that had Jacobs playing defense at the end.

Schwerdt was four strokes down with eight holes to go, but he made birdies on Nos. 11, 12 and 14. The birdie on No. 14 tied him with Jacobs, who lipped out a putt for par.

Jacobs called that a “bad bogey.” Schwerdt took the lead on No. 15 when Jacobs made a bogey after slicing a 5-iron right of the green. His chip rolled about 8 feet past the hole, and he missed the par putt.

But Jacobs was resilient. He made his second birdie of the day on the 162-yard, par-3 No. 17, holing a putt from about 10 feet.

Schwerdt bombed a drive on No. 18, which is 400 yards, that landed 70 yards from the pin. His chip went long, and both players made par.

On the first playoff hole, Schwerdt hit a poor drive that landed under a tree. He was able to get his second shot into the bunker on the right side of the hole, and he made par after hitting his bunker shot to within 2 feet of the hole.

It looked like Schwerdt had momentum.

On the second playoff hole, he hit a drive that landed about 50 yards from the green, but his chip went to the back fringe. His first putt was about a 40-foot downhill slider that rolled below the hole about 7 feet.

According to Schwerdt, the putt he missed on No. 2 “just dove left at the end.”

Schwerdt was happy with the way he played. It was the second time he had finished second in the Porter Amateur.

“I hit a lot of good shots today,” he said. “I don’t think I gave anything away. It’s tough to chase down Bob Jacobs on the back nine.”

Jacobs is the ultimate grinder. He didn’t play great. It was just good enough to win.

“I thought he (Schwerdt) played really well,” Jacobs said. “He hit a lot of good shots. Sometimes, it just doesn’t go your way.”