Results from Blackstone GC August 5th, 2012

Blackstone GC (Marengo, IL) is a hidden gem with the goal of being a private club.  The design gives competitor’s options to play smart or aggressive on several holes.  Greens roll to about a 10-11 and the closing two holes make for drama when trying to hold on to a small lead.  What a difference a day made because the day prior a severe storm tore through Aurora where the Chicago South Tour held an event and managed to complete on 9 holes in most of their flights.  The weather was perfect and there was even a thunderous shot on hole nine which is a rarity; double eagle.

Michael Roy of Las Vegas Tour visited family and friends while taking in the tournament at Blackstone.  The ninth hole played only 501 yards giving player’s an opportunity to reach the green in two.  There was a risk with a hazard to the right of the green but plenty of room to the left.  Michael hit his drive 293 yards leaving him a 208 yard shot to the green.  Linda Downey and Kim Downey were marshalling the pace for the day sitting at hole nine.

Michael hit an iron into the green as Linda and Kim watched it disappear in the hole.  From where they were they couldn’t tell for sure but as the group approached the green, to Michael’s surprise he found his ball at the bottom of the cup scoring a rare double Eagle.

Championship Flight: Jim O’Connor competed against Milwaukee Tour member Joe Thom in a head to head stroke play match.  Jim took an early lead after nine posting a 37 to lead by 6 strokes.  Joe was unable to crack into the lead Jim had built posting a matching back nine 40.

Palmer Flight:  Michael Roy made the trip to visit friends and relatives while taking in a tournament on the Chicago North Tour.  A double Eagle on hole number nine helped Mike post a even par 36 and a 3 stroke lead over Mike Anderson and four stroke lead over Raj Jayaraman and Jade Mosher.  Michael opened the door when he posted an 8 over par on the back but the rest of the field had equal trouble on the inward nine.  Michael went on to win by three strokes over jade Mosher and four over Mike Anderson.

Hogan Flight:  Dan Kwilas won the Hogan Flight but his outward nine had him five strokes back of Frank Kaldis.  The back proved to play the toughest and not many made big moves on the leaders.  Frank Kaldis posted a 12 over par 48 to shoot an 87 but it was Dan Kwilas who managed the tough back nine shooting a 41 to win by two strokes.

Sr. Hogan Flight: Tom Joy posted an 81 to win by one stroke over Bob Sherry who had the outward lead with a 39.  Craig Gallagher of the Hawaii Tour was in the mix two strokes back along with Tom and Mark Titone who was only three back.  It was Tom Joy posted a 40 on the back to Bob Sherry’s 43 to win by one.

Sarazen Flight: James Smith grabbed the nine who lead by one stroke over Bruce Gallo and there were a few other’s in striking distance.  Based on the results of other flights, the back nine gave competitors an opportunity to make a run at the lead.  Matt Jura turned in the low score on the back with a 42 but started the back four strokes behind James.  James held on to win a very close tournament.

Jones Flight:  Nomie Namie won by one stroke over Brian Kempf of St. Augustine Florida (soon to reside in Illinois).  Nomie and Brian took charge of the tournament early with third place posting a 52.  When the pair headed to the back nine Brain managed only to make up one stroke on Nomie who posted a 43.  Nomie recorded his fourth win and has been the strong Jones Player on the North Tour adding four 2^nd place finishes to his season total.

Snead Flight:  Leo Schnoor did something that is rarely done and that is winning three consecutive tournaments.  He will be going for his fourth consecutive and fifth win at the Chicago Championship this weekend.  Brian Kirschner had a 3 stroke lead over Robert Carneke and four stroke over Leo.  The low was 47 and the high was 53 in the six man field which meant the Snead Flight was up for the taking.  Once again the back nine proved difficult and even though Leo shot 48 on the back, it was enough to put him ahead of the field and win by one stroke over David Levanthal of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and North Tour Member Robert Carneke.

TOP FINISHERS & PAYOUTS:

CHAMPIONSHIP

77 – Jim O’Connor (($40 Gift Card & Trophy)

PALMER

80 – Michael Roy (Las Vegas Tour) ($110 Gift Card and Trophy)

83 – Jade Mosher ($50 Gift Card)

HOGAN

85 – Dan Kwilas ($100 Gift Card & Trophy)

Sr. HOGAN

81 – Tom Joy ($110 Gift Card & Trophy)

SARAZEN

86 – James Smith ($130 Gift Card & Trophy)

87 – Mike Vogelsberg ($70 Gift Card)

88 – Matt Jura ($50 Gift Card)

89 – Dan White ($30 Gift Card)

JONES

88 – Nomie Namie ($100 Gift Card & Trophy)

SNEAD

99 – Leo Schnoor ($90 Gift Card & Trophy)

100* - David Levanthal ($30 Gift Card – won scorecard playoff)

100* - Robert Carneke

50/50 Raffle Drawing 

$95 – Robert Carneke

SKINS:

Championship/Palmer Flight:

$32 – Mike Anderson

$16 – Don Sanford, Jim O’Connor, Mike Roy

Hogan/Sr. Hogan:

$44 – Mark Titone

$22 – Mike Caithamer, Tom Joy, Jim Polubinski

Sarazen Flight:

$56 – Bill Neiert

$28 – Bruce Gallo, Mark Giebelhausen, Jorge Arteta

Jones/Snead Flight:

$45 – Brian Kempf

$15 – Bob Carneke, John Pacheco, Nomie Namie

Closest to the Pin:

$78/ea - #2 Mike Roy; #5 Jim Polubinski; #8 Bill beckey; #13 Mike Kelly; #17 Mike Anderson