In the final season-long accolade given by Maine Golf, we’re happy to name Keith Patterson as the 2022 Senior Player of the Year. Much like the men’s and women’s Player of the Year awards, this award is given to the player who earns the most points in Maine Golf Play Days and championships during the season. This is the second straight year that Patterson has claimed Senior Player of the Year honors.
“It feels great to back up last year’s Player of the Year by winning it again this year,” says Patterson. “Winning this award was one of my goals to start the year.”
Patterson, 59, was the man to beat in Maine Golf senior championships this year, nearly running the table and winning every trophy available to players aged 55 and older. Starting in May, he teamed up with fellow Biddeford-Saco members to win the Club Team and Senior Club Team Championship at Belgrade Lakes. The following month he teamed up with longtime friend Scott Dewitt to capture the Senior Four-Ball title at Riverside.
“I really enjoy playing in the team events,” Patterson admits. “Our BSCC Team won the Senior Club Team the day after we also won the regular club team. We were particularly happy to win both of those events.”
Despite his championship wins in the team events, coupled with a handful of Play Days where he was the low senior in the field, Patterson still did not have the lead in the Senior Player of the Year race entering the biggest event of the year, the Senior Amateur at Purpoodock Club.
“The Senior Am was the tourney that I really wanted to win this year,” he recalls. “I had a chance last year when I played in the final group and had the lead early in the round, but struggled to a 5th place finish. I really wanted to make up for that this year.”
Having won championships already in the season on a team of four and then a team of two, he was on his own for the Senior Amateur.
“I got off to a dream start by making birdie on the first hole and eagle on the second. It is never easy holding onto a lead, but I managed to lead most of the way, and two putted the last hole for a one shot win. I won the Mid-Am back in 2014 and I’ve really wanted to win another big tourney to prove that the first one wasn’t a fluke.”
A longtime member at Biddeford-Saco CC, Patterson won the club championship for the second straight year this summer. He credits a lot of his success to his peers at his club, including the two guys he edged out for Senior Player of the Year honors.
“I am so fortunate to have a great group of friends at BSCC to compete with and against,” he says. “I play a lot with good friends Scott Dewitt and Mike O’Brien, and we push each other in the senior events. We also frequently have matches against the younger guys at the club, and that also pushes us to get better.”
The work to get better sure seems to be working. Congrats to Keith Patterson on a banner season and for earning his second straight Senior Player of the Year award.