Dr. Donnie Blanton held on to the lead Sunday and shot an even-par 71 to claim the Alabama Golf Association’s 12th State Senior Amateur Championship by three strokes at Selma Country Club.

Blanton, who led the first round by four strokes and was tied for the second-round lead, finished with a 4-under 209 to capture his first state senior amateur title.

“I’ve been playing in AGA tournaments since I was 14 years old,” Blanton said. “It was great that I won my age division in the state senior last year, so this is really nice. And winning it here made it special.”

Mike Greer of Birmingham was tied with Blanton for the second-round lead, but he was one of several players who faded in the 90-plus degrees during the three-day, 54-hole event. He finished the day with a 74 to finish at 1-under 212.

Bob Cox of Guin shot a 1-under 70 Sunday and finished the tournament in second place overall with a 2-under 211. He captured the age division trophy in the 50- to 56-year-old golfers.

Also finishing with 1-under 212s in the 50- to 56-year-old age group were David Head of Sterrett (76-67-69—212) and Steve Hudson of Birmingham (72-68-72—212).

Blanton said he had hoped to make solid shots on the final day of the tournament.

“I hit the ball good the last two days, but not today,” he said. “But I did have two good birdies on (Nos.) 15 and 16.”

Blanton finished with four birdies on the back nine to hold on to the lead. One shot during Saturday’s second round — a fluke approach shot on No. 18 — almost took a serious toll on his round.

While headed for the No. 18 green, Blanton’s golf ball skidded off a patch of ground in front of the green and landed out of bounds. He took a triple-bogey on the par 4.

“I have played this course for 50 years and I have never seen anything like it,” Blanton said.

The complete results from the tournament are:

12th State Senior Amateur Championship

50-56 AGE DIVISION

Bob Cox, Guin 68-73-70—211

David Head, Sterrett 76-67-69—212

Mike Greer, Birmingham 68-70-74—212

Steve Hudson, Birmingham 72-68-72—212

Earle Bidez, Birmingham 71-73-70—214

Emile Vaughan, Pike Road 75-74-69—218

David Hancock, Greenville 75-71-72—218

Tom Davis, Hoover 68-73-78—219

Robert Pewitt, Birmingham 72-76-72—220

Ralph Mathews, Andalusia 74-74-73—221

Earl Thornton, Deatsville 75-77-72—224

John Stewart, Birmingham 74-78-72—224

Mark Miller, Birmingham 73-77-75—225

Rick Stukes, Jasper 77-78-70—225

Billy Wood, Birmingham 74-73-78—225

Bob Dumas, Auburn 77-75-74—226

Dusty Ellison, Monroeville 76-79-71—226

Tab Hudson, Jasper 75-77-74—226

Bob Poellnitz, Tuscaloosa 71-78-77—226

Bill Moquin, Madison 76-75-76—227

Richard Jeffers, Mobile 78-76-74—228

Buzz Coons, Birmingham 73-80-76—229

Jim Ryan, Brewton 78-77-74—229

Robert Seaborn, Montrose 76-76-77—229

Frankie Odom, Saint Stephens 78-76-76—230

Mark Mcqueen, Deatsville 73-74-83—230

Mints McGowin, Greenville 77-76-78—231

Roger Lucas, Birmingham 78-76-79—233

Allen Ritter, Hoover 77-78-80—235

George Walker, Mobile 75-78-82—235

Donnie Cooper, Huntsville 79-75-81—235

Wendell Underwood, Auburn 78-77-82—237

Alan McAdams, Jasper 79-77-82—238

David Hitt, Tuscaloosa 73-81-85—239

Hollis Gieger, Birmingham 78-78-DQ—DQ

57-64 AGE DIVISION

Don Blanton, Selma 65-73-71—209

David Fry, Montgomery, Ala. 71-71-73—215

Mike Fosdick, Theodore 73-73-72—218

Sam Farlow, Birmingham 73-76-70—219

Frank Dial, Auburn, Ala. 74-74-71—219

David Stanfield, Lanett, Ala. 74-75-71—220

William Jones, Jemison 76-73-73—222

Bill Abell, Calera 82-72-70—224

Frank Vines, Birmingham, Ala. 76-73-75—224

Herschel Headley, Prattville 76-72-79—227

Ronnie Leet, Selma 74-78-77—229

Rene’ Williams, Dora 76-74-79—229

Tom Page, Fort Payne 77-74-78—229

David Sibley, Birmingham 78-77-74—229

Robert Straub, Courtland 78-75-77—230

John Allgood, Killen 76-77-77—230

Sidney Wheeles, Tuscumbia 77-78-76—231

Joe Terry, Birmingham 82-72-78—232

Michael Ivie, Winfield 76-76-80—232

John Gibbs, Oneonta 82-71-80—233

Beanny Thornton, Prattville 80-73-81—234

Bill Berkmeier, Birmingham 77-77-81—235

Bruce Umstaedter, Madison 78-78-83—239

65+ AGE DIVISION

Bob Moody, Birmingham 71-75-77—223

Carl Nelson, Pelham 75-78-79—232

Max Mathews, Andalusia 74-82-79—235

Bud Lemmond, Florence 78-77-81—236

Don Lambert, Foley 81-79-82—242

Phillip Henry Pitts, Selma 82-79-84—245