OVGA Amateur Golf Tour

Scoring was down this weekend at Grand Oak as the field of 43 managed to get around the course in 95.8 shots on average.  So without further ado, here’s the results.

IN THE EAGLE FLIGHT…

Doug Chalk, Dan Furlong and Dave Johnson got underway with net birdies.  Along with Michael Bowen, the four players would share the lead over the first nines holes with Furlong and Johnson hitting the turn at -1 with Chalk and Bowen a shot back.  Johnson took the lead briefly thru 10 holes, before Furlong and Chalk created a three-way tie atop the leaderboard.  Furlong grabbed the lead after 12 holes, but Tom Camacho came on strong to wrestle the lead away thru 13 holes at -2.  Camacho would retain the lead thru 15 holes until a double bogey on his 16th hole dropped him to 3rd place and two shots back of Doug Chalk who took over the top spot.  Camacho would get a shot back after 17 holes and, along with Johnson, trailed Chalk by one stroke with a hole to play.  Chalk would put things out of reach with a birdie on his final hole (#9) to win for the third time this year at -3, 69.  Camacho would finish 2nd at -1 with Furlong, Johnson and Mark Murphy coming in at even par and tied for 3rd.

Avg Score - 86.1

Medalist - Tom Camacho, 79

IN THE BIRDIE FLIGHT…

Cy Zibrik dominated the first nine holes, making the turn at -2 and two shots up on Harry Bradley.  Zibrik’s lead would grow to 4 shots thru 11 holes as he stood at -3.  Bradley would close the gap to one shot thanks in part to back-to-back bogeys by Zibrik.  Bradley, having started on the front nine would par his 14th hole, while Zibrik was staring down the gun barrel of the #1 handicapped hole in the 489-yard par 5 fifth hole.  Zibrik laced a drive down the left hand side of the fairway but the ball had trickled into a hidden hazard.  Zibrik’s approach found the hazard behind the green and he walked off with an 8 and dropped to 2nd, three shots behind Bradley.  The race became more for 2nd place than first as Chad Stewart, Tim Sorg and eventually Rick Lingo would all hold the 2nd spot for the final four holes.  None of them could catch Bradley as he prevailed by a shot over Lingo and Sorg and -1, 71.  It was the 3rd career victory for Bradley following up wins in 2007 (Middletown Open) and 2008 (Majestic Springs Open).

Avg Score - 94.5

Medalist - Rick Lingo, 86

IN THE PAR FLIGHT…

Frank Hill started off the day with the lead, but after five holes the tournament became the James Crockett show.  Crockett would hit the turn with a 4-shot lead over Frank Hill and never look back.  The ridiculous met the sublime when Crockett scored gross birdie, net 0 on the par 3 12th hole for an 8-shot lead.  The question then became if Crockett could post a personal best score.  But lost in the tension of whether Crockett could hold up for 18 straight holes, Phyllis Bare was inching closer to the lead.  Down by as many as 10 strokes, Bare had closed to within three heading to the 18th hole.  But Crockett would record net birdie on #18 to secure his 4th career OVGA Tour victory with an 8-under, 64.  And to top it off, Crockett broke the 100-barrier for the first time, posting a 99.

Avg Score - 108.4

Medalist - Phyllis Bare, 90