As one famous sports guy once said, “It was like deja vu all over again!” Only this time the championship winner involved got both room and board on the way to victory.
One of the hottest tickets in town just gained some new notoriety, and the excitement there is palpable. Those of us who are regulars know that The Mark III Grille & Bar Restaurant at the Scottdale Crossroads in Royalton Township is packed virtually every night with hungry fans who love the food and the atmosphere. You can add a couple of top professional golfers to the happy fan list in the house. KitchenAid Senior PGA Champ Paul Broadhurst and top 25 finisher Barry Lane have found their home-away-from home at The Mark and have already booked their plans to be there in two years for the 2020 Championship.
Here’s how it all developed. At the 2016 Championship, Barry Lane of Henley-on-Thames, England enjoyed dinner every night of the tourney at The Mark III. Noticing that The Mark III Inn adjacent to the restaurant appeared to be very clean, quiet and convenient, Lane inquired about the potential to stay there on his next visit. Owner Bobby Camp showed Lane a suite at the Inn and the golf pro’s response was, “Perfect, book me now for the next tournament.” Lane then called Camp a few months out and asked if there might be availability for a fellow professional golfer to also book a suite there, and there was.
That other golfer was Paul Broadhurst, a fellow Brit from Atherstone, England who would go on to be crowned Champion of the 79th KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship on Sunday. Both men and their wives stayed at The Mark III Inn and enjoyed dinner at the Mark III Restaurant each night of the entire Championship week.
It was almost like a flashback to the first Senior PGA Championship hosted at Harbor Shores in 2012 when another fellow Brit, Roger Chapman ate nightly at The Grande Mere Inn of Stevensville.
Like Chapman, who had the same meal each night of his championship run, Broadhurst dined on the legendary Mark III chips, salsa and fresh guacamole and then ordered the Mark’s Beer Battered Cod with Steak Fries which he simply called “fish & chips” each night. Owners Bobby & Stacy Camp tell me that the Broadhursts and Lanes were “cordial and friendly and eagerly chatted with the restaurant’s staff and golf fans alike.” Bobby says, “It was truly an honor and pleasure to have them!”
Stacy & Bobby were standing alongside the base of the chute leading golfers from the 18th green to awaiting carts on the cart path when new Champion Paul Broadhurst exited the ramp headed to his Champions Toast and check presentation where he was awarded 1st place money of $585,000, a new Omega Watch and, from Whirlpool Chairman Jeff Fettig, an entire suite of KitchenAid appliances for the Broadhurst family home in England. The Camps wanted to personally congratulate him on his birdie putt at the 18th hole which sealed his 19-under par win. Barry Lane improved dramatically on his 72nd place finish two years ago to a tied for 23rd place finish on Sunday and a $27,330 pay day.
Don’t be surprised if things get even more crowded at the Mark III during the Memorial Day week observance in 2020 of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. Both Broadhurst and Lane have already booked their suites for Championship week then, and who knows how many other professionals decide that their diner of choice is right there at the Scottdale Crossroads the next time.
