Bob Meyer merely smiled when he walked to the first tee at Allegheny Country Club and saw where the markers were placed yesterday for the second and final round of the Tri-State Senior PGA Professional Championship,

"It wasn't like they gave us a break because we're 50 years old," he said. "They had them as far back as they could."

Despite the course's length, Meyer outdistanced an elite field and earned first place in a one-hole playoff with Roy Vucinich after they completed regulation with 2-under 138s. They qualified, along with John Aubrey, John Mazza, Scott Davis, Ned Weaver and Bob Ford, for the PGA Senior National Championship Oct, 29-Nov. 1 at Port Lucie, Fla.

Davis (74-67), a PGA professional, was third, followed by first-round leader Aubrey (66-76) of Dubb's Dred Golf Club, Mazza (69-73) of Harmony Ridge Golf Club, Weaver (75-70) of New Castle Country Club, and Ford (77-68) of Oakmont Country Club.

Aubrey was exempt from qualifying because he finished second at the National Championship last year.

Meyer, 55, the pro at Valley Brook Country Club, birdied No. 1 with a 41/2-foot putt in the playoff after rounds of 72 and 66. Vucinich, 62, shot 68-70 to win the Super Senior Championship for players over 60.

"I'm hitting the ball well, maybe as far as I ever did," said Meyer, the president of the Tri-State PGA. "I'm a better golfer today than I was 30 years ago. I've been working with A.J. Boner since 2004 and I'm continually getting better. But you know golf's up and down. Right now, I'm on a high, but next week I might be at a low point."

Meyer had six birdies and two bogeys yesterday to catch Vucinich, who fell into a playoff after he three-putted the 18th for his only three-putt of the tournament. His 25-footer slid two feet past the hole, and he missed the short one coming back "on the high side."

Meyer will be making his fifth trip to the National Championship, having made the cut in 2004 and '06.

"Winning [the Tri-State championship] means a lot," he said. "I beat all my buddies and Roy is so well known. He was the pro at Allegheny Country Club for 80 years."

Not quite.

Vucinich was the head pro there from 1972- 2000, when he joined the Champions Tour. He has made the cut in all 10 of the Senior National Championships he has played, with a high finish of fifth. Although Vucinich knows just about every blade of grass on Allegheny CC, he did not think playing at "home" was a huge advantage.

"Sometimes, you might know too much and try too hard to hit the ball in certain places to stay out of trouble," he said. "I really wanted to win here ... that's the pressure I put on myself. [A win] would have been special."

Vucinich said winning the Super Senior event was a bit odd.

"I don't feel like a super senior," he said. "I guess you could say the 60s today are more like 42 once was. I hit as far as I ever did and I'm playing a lot. The clubs and balls have a lot to do with it, but the older guys are taking better care of themselves, exercising and eating well."

Meyer agreed.

"I try to stay in shape when I'm not playing golf," he said. "I have best intentions in the summer, but I don't seem to find the time to get to the gym as often as I should. I'm playing pretty good golf. It's always fun to win."

At any age.