"2004" 1st - Round Match Play Review By Dave Wencel
Jeff Flaucher (14) vs. Steve Sladek (17) -With Flaucher giving 3 shots to Sladek this match looked to be tight. Flaucher looked strong out of the gates and was able to grab a 1-hole advantage through 5. Sladek played scratch golf from holes 6 through 10. A streak in which he won all holes (including a birdie at 9) to take a 4-hole advantage. At 11 Flaucher was able to grab one back but a disastrous triple-bogey at 12 put him back down 4. At the par 3 13th Sladek stuffed the pin to 2’ 5” and basically sealed the deal to win going away 5&4. Buddy MacLeod (20) vs. Terry Heller (17) - In what looked to be another tight one, these two both started well and were knotted up through 6 holes. At 7, Heller began a nice run of 4 straight hole victories in which he played scratch. At 11 Heller faulted with a double-bogey 7 but MacLeod was unable to capitalize as he also scored double. After 11 Heller returned to his solid form to score 2 over par for the remainder. MacLeod was unable to match Heller’s play and fell 6&4.
Bruce Pajcic (21) vs. Bob Butts (12) - Butts came out of the box strong going 2 up through 3 holes. Getting 9 shots, Pajcic was able to rally himself by gaining the next 2 holes. Playing strong golf on the front 9, Butts stormed again and finished with a 39 on the front and led by 2 through 9. The back 9 turned into a battlefield as Butts continued to play strong golf but could not shake the consistent Pajcic. The two exchanged blows throughout the back 9 and when the dust cleared they were knotted up through 15. Using a stroke, Pajcic was able to win 16 but Butts countered with a par at 17 to tie things up once again. At 18 Pajcic continued his consistent play and bogeyed which Butts could not better. Gaining 1 handicap stroke at 18, Pajcic was able to prevail 1up.
Willy Westall (11) vs. John Margicin (18) - Westall began in a rough manner shooting +7 through 3 holes but managed to be down only 1 through 3. At 4, Westall jump-started his game and went on a 4-hole tear that put him up by 3, which is how they went into the back 9. Westall opened the door slightly for Margicin going +4 on holes 10-12 but Margicin could not capitalize even with strokes and was down 5 through the twelfth. At 13, Margicin rallied himself with a par but Westall put the final dagger in by countering with a birdie at 13 to finish him off. 6&5.
Doug Heller (16) vs. Mark Matosky (36) -Heller started with a strong par on the first and seemed unfazed by giving away 20 strokes. In a sign of things to come, Matosky rebounded to grab the next 3 holes by playing consistent, grinding golf. Down 2 after 4, Heller rebounded with strong play and the two finished even through the front 9. Beginning at 10 Matosky began a run utilizing his strong green play to match Heller stroke for stroke throughout the back nine and jumped out to a 2-hole advantage through 13. Despite winning the next 3 holes by a combined 5 shots, Heller was unable to make a dent in the Matosky lead. At 17 Heller finally unraveled with a triple-bogey, which broke the camels back as Matosky was victorious 3&1.
Dave Wencel (13) vs. Jack Costello (28) - After a strong opening drive, which allowed Costello to jump out with the lead, he began to flounder through the front nine. The sporadic play allowed Wencel to win 7 holes from #’s 2-10. Down 6 going into 11, Costello appeared to turn the momentum of the match around by winning the next two holes to cut the lead to 4. An errant shot at the par 3 13th cut the rally short though and Costello would not be able to regain steam from there. With the match no longer in doubt, Costello hit the shot of day, “the shot he never saw”, as he holed out from 130 yards on the number 1 handicap 16th. Costello never saw the shot that caused quite a stir within the group as he turned directly toward the cart upon hitting it. Wencel wins 5&4.
Steve Keyes(19) vs. Mike Weinrich(36) - As with many matches, Keyes found in giving up significant strokes(17) that despite strong play he was stuck in a buzz-saw. The two dueled back and forth on the front nine with Weinrich holding a slim 1-hole advantage. After a solid 43, Keyes game began to unhinge on the back nine. With Weinrich continuing to play consistent golf and gaining strokes, Keyes was unable to keep up. Weinrich cleared the air by winning the 15th and the match 5&3.
Tim Zemo(28) vs. Les Heller(29)- In possibly the most compelling match of the day, these two dreadnoughts headed out in a match that would require the winner to scratch, claw, and bite for every hole. The karma for the match was established on the 1st as they pushed with quadruple-bogeys. Heller took advantage of a couple triple-bogeys by Zemo to establish a 2-hole advantage through 7, which is how it came out at the turn. Zemo stormed onto the back nine with a vengeance and began to break down the Heller lead. A three-hole run from #’s 12-14 put Zemo in the lead 1 up. At 15 they again pushed with quadruple-bogeys and the experience seemed to grab the wind from Zemos’ sails. Heller finished strongly on the final 3 holes (bogey-par-bogey) to win them and the match 2 up.
Frank Mahal (32) vs. John Coombs (17) Both players came out with their best and exchanged artillery barrages throughout the front nine. Coombs birdie at the 9th gave him a 1up lead going into the turn. Exchanging hole victories on 11,12,13 and 14 they were still knotted at Coombs 1 up. Mahal cracked at 16 with a double-bogey to go 2 down but rebounded with a nice par at 17 that returned the match to 1 up Coombs going into 18. Finishing with the excellent play shown all day, Coombs scored par at 18, which sank Mahal’s double as he scored a 2 up victory.
Ray Litwin (15) vs. Marty Sinkoewicz (32) In another nail-biter, Sinkoewicz took advantage of strokes and stormed ahead 3 up after 5 holes. Litwin rebounded nicely though and cut the lead to 1 up Sinkoewicz with a birdie at the 9th and going into the back. Litwin then struck at 10 to even the match up which is the way it remained going into the 13th. Here, Sinkoewicz seemed to falter going double (13th) and triple on the 14th to go Litwin up 2. He rebounded nicely though and taking advantage of shaky Litwin play was able to win the next two to go 1 up into 18. At 18 Sinkoewicz nearly gave it away with a triple-bogey but Litwin was unable to capitalize as he also scored double-bogey and Sinkoewicz was able to walk away with a hard fought 1 up victory.
Bryan Detrick (21) vs. Ed Odosky (36)- Odosky came out belying his 36 handicap with consistent play while stifling the strong play of Detrick as they squirmed out to a dead-heat through the 8th. At nine, Odosky utilized strokes to grab a 1up lead through the turn. At the 10th, Detrick took advantage of an Odosky triple to even up the match again. Odosky solidified his game and took the next two holes to go 2 up after 12. After a hole victory at the 13th, Detrick squandered a golden opportunity as Odosky quadrupled at the 14th, but was unable to do better as Odosky taking advantage of strokes went again 2 up. Detrick rebounded with a win at 15. At 16 Detrick broke down again with a double-bogey to allow Odosky to go 2 up with 2 to play. Fighting to the finish Detrick grabbed 17 to make it Odosky 1 up into the 18th. Detrick played the 18th strongly with a par but was belied once and for all as Odosky matched him for the hole and took the match 2 up.
Harvey Taylor (21) vs. Nick Natreillo (36) -Utilizing handicap strokes, Natreillo held firm with Taylor even up through the 4th. Strengthening up his game, Natreillo grabbed the next two holes, which is how it ended going into the turn (Natriello 2up). Continuing his run, Natreillo bested Taylor at the 10th and 11th to go 4 up. Rallying, Taylor took advantage of a triple-bogey and quintuple-bogey by Natreillo to cut the lead in half (Natreillo 2up) going into the 15th. After a rough run though, Natreillo righted the ship and utilizing strokes guided his victory home 2&1.
Tom Parent (5) vs. Ron Vancheri (24) In a hard fought battle, Parent drew on his every skill to beat back Vancheri in an early round match to advance 1 up.
Bill Horan (8) After a successful mow of the lawn and accurate display of weed-whipsmanship on Sunday afternoon. Horan was sipping on a cool Pina Colada on his comfy sofa, contemplating the victor of the Frank Mahal/ John Coombs match as he effervesced about the joys of a first-round bye. Unbeknownst to him a play in match had been established between Bob Simpson and Gary Kershaw. The winner to face off with him in the final first round match. Proving the point once again: “I’d rather be playing golf.”