By Bruce Berlet
Jason Gobleck earned Connecticut Section PGA Senior Player of the Year honors last week without swinging a club.
Gobleck, of the Golf Center at Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, clinched his first title when PGA Life Member and record nine-time Senior Player of the Year Fran Marrello decided not to play in the Senior PGA Professional Championship at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Gobleck had a 24.5-point lead over Marrello in the POY race entering the national event, and players receive 25 points for making the 36-hole cut. So Marrello had a chance to overtake Gobleck by a half-point but it didn’t happen because he withdrew.
“Winning the Section Senior Player of the Year is a tremendous thrill for me,” said Gobleck, who missed the cut in Florida. “I played very consistently all season, and my iron play was better and my putting really came together. I did practice more over the past 12 months than ever before. The golf courses and practice facilities at Lyman Orchards Golf Club are tremendous and allow me to work on every aspect of my game…