18 players vied for the $540 pot on a chilly, blustery day at Fowlers Mill GC today, and three skins worth $138 each were won.

Russ Rybka of Bainbridge made the most of his first trip to the Greater Cleveland Skins Game, as he cashed in on a pin shot/birdie combination on the 190-yard par-3 third hole, good for a $201 total.

Steve Blackburn Jr. won the second skin with an eagle on the par-5 fifth hole, knocking in a 50-foot bomb of a putt.

And Mark Foss continued his steady play and still sits atop the 2008 Greater Cleveland Skins Game Leaderboard after his birdie on the par-4 ninth hole captured the third skin of the evening.

Allen Freeman found his way onto the 2008 Leaderboard by capturing the pin shot on the seventh hole, worth $63.00.

The Skins game moves to Thunder Hill in Madison next Thursday (May 22) starting at 5:00 p.m. Green Fee rates will be $15.00 riding. Please thank the course management for providing Greater Cleveland Skins Game participants with this special rate. Any players that wants a “warm up 9 hole round” before the scheduled skins game must call the course first to make such arrangements.

2008 Greater Cleveland Skins Game Leaderboard
1) Mark Foss - $483.00
2) Steve Blackburn Jr. - $441.60
3) Paul Kish - $268.60
4) Geoff Nicely - $236.50
5) Russ Rybka - $201.00
6) Dave Sotka - $187.50
7) Brian McGinty - $184.00
8) Garry Zehe - $166.50
9)  Phil Bosc - $103.50
10) Jeff Ettinger - $84.00
11) John Niedzialek - $63.00
12) Allen Freeman - $63.00
13) Steve Blackburn Sr. - $59.80
14) Jim Lebzelter - $52.50
15) Tom Bond - $45.50

– John Niedzialek

Click here for complete results from the 2008 Ohio Senior Open, played May 14-15 at Firestone Country Club West Course…

–Allen Freeman

A great event honoring one of the region’s most successful amateur golfers is coming up, and it’s time to get your entry in.

The Joe Ungvary Sr. Memorial Tournament will be held at Goodpark Golf Course in Akron on Saturday, June 7, 2008, with tee times starting at 8:45 a.m.

The format is a Two Man Jumble Event: 6 Holes Scramble; 6 Holes Better Ball; 6 Holes True Alternate Shot. There is a payout for each 6 hole portion of the event plus the total combined score winner.

An entry fee of $200 per team includes the prize pot, green fees, cart, the skins game, and cocktails and hors d’oeuvres after play. A great deal, and an event worth playing – on several levels.

To enter, call Larry Horner at 330-606-4952 or Larry Zimmerman at Good Park at 330-864-0020.

–Allen Freeman

The deadline to apply for entry into the 2008 Ohio Amateur is this Friday, May 16 by 4:00 p.m.

The local qualifier will be held at Elyria Country Club on Tuesday, May 27th, with the tournament proper to be held at Findlay Country Club on July 14 - 18.

Players may apply online at OhioGolf.org using a credit card.

–Allen Freeman

Final results from the local U.S. Open Qualifier played at the Red Tail Golf Club in Avon on Tuesday, May 13:

–Allen Freeman

Dave Petracca and Tommy Li blitzed, crushed and demolished the field, running away from everyone with a truly remarkable 6-under par 29 better ball score in the Monday Scratch League.

Petracca and Li birdied the first six holes out of the gate on a cold and wet Chippewa GC, with Dave missing a short birdie putt on 7 to end their streak. The miss didn’t matter, though, as they won by a staggering four shots over two teams.

Pettracca and Li also dipped their hands into the Skins Pot, with their birdie on the par-3 second hole good for $240. Mike Stiller and Jeff Leonard grabbed the other skin with a birdie on the par-4 fifth.

Week 2 Results 5/12/08 - Front Nine Better Ball 
1st - Petracca - Tommy Li   29  ($200.00 Pro Pot)    
T2nd - M.Stiller - Leonard    33    
T2nd - Zoran - Chadima   33    
T4th - Spino - Oates   34    
T4th - Freemans - Stefanski   34    
T4th - Durbin - Bishop   34    

Skins      
Petracca - Tommy Li #2 $240.00   
M.Stiller - Leonard #5 $240.00   
 
Sr. Skins      
M.Stiller - Leonard #1 & #5  $55.00   
Larizza - Davis #4 $27.50   
Weaver - Weaver #7 $27.50

Note: the year-long 2008 Chippewa Scratch League Standings will be posted weekly once the final number of teams are determined for gift certificate prize amounts.

–Allen Freeman

Allen Freeman of Brecksville and Ryan Stefanski of Macedonia ran out a front nine score of 30 and an eventual 10-under par total to win the 2008 Championship Golf Association 2-Man Scramble at Turkeyfoot Golf Links in Akron.

Stefanski and Freeman’s round of 61 was good for a two-shot victory over the team of Randy Skorman and Dean Cutlip, who posted an 8-under par 63 despite not making a birdie on any of the par fives.

Three teams tied for third at 7-under par 64: Mike Kracker/Jeff Mallette, Shane Ash/Willie DeTemple, and Russ Rybka/Drew Thompson.

Skins were won by the teams of Diebold/Canter with an eagle on the par-4 5th hole, and by Rybka/Thompson with a chip-in eagle at the par-4 12th.

Kudos to Charlie Mozingo and the rest of the staff at Turkeyfoot, as the golf course conditions were perfect and the setup fair. The weather was great as well, leading to a 32 team field and a great event.

Next, the CGA expects another big field at the always well-attended individual stroke play event at Eagle Creek GC in Norwalk, to be held next Sunday, May 18th. To register, visit the CGA Website or call 216-556-0219.

2008 CGA Turkeyfoot 2-Man Scramble Results
Freeman / Stefanski  30-31=61
Skorman / Cutlip  32-31=63
Kracker / Mallette  34-30=64
Ash / DeTemple  34-30=64
Rybka / Thompson  33-31=64
Russell / Shuff  33-32=65
Smith / Brick  32-33=65
Seever / Slivinski  32-33=65
Martin / Stack  31-34=65
Kopcsik / Kopcsik  35-31=66
Guenther / Richards  35-31=66
Tayler / Urbanski  34-32=66
Miller / Lanahan  32-34=66
Hedrick / Tarter  37-30=67
Selzer / Oslie  35-32=67
Zitovick / Godzak  36-32=68
Li / Chadima  35-33=68
Ciccarello / Feist  35-33=68
Cea / Pulk  37-32=69
Mills / Krumlauf  35-34=69
Balzano / Ream  35-34=69
Davis / Kurt  37-33=70
Schembechler / Schembechler  35-35=70
Diebold / Canter  31-39=70
Thompson / Niskanen  37-34=71
Heran / Jenkins  37-34=71
Berkheimer / Buemi  34-37=71
Marshall / Ede  34-37=71
Woodrum / Kern  37-36=73
Schrader / Nehlsen  38-36=74
Roberts / Cook  35-39=74
Maenza / McBride  43-44=87

–Allen Freeman

The team of Boo Blakeman and Mike Lenartowicz combined for a 10-under par 60 to claim the Stark County Amateur Golf Association’s two-man scramble event at Fairways of North Canton.

Blakeman, who is a professional, and Lenartowicz finished three strokes ahead of two teams. (Professionals are permitted to compete in SCAGA team events.) The pair also picked up the only skin of the day with an eagle on #14, worth $420. 

The next SCAGA event is the two-day individual medal play tourney May 31 and June 1 at Tam O’Shanter in Canton. For more details, log on to scaga.com.

2008 SCAGA 2-Man Scramble Results
1. Boo Blakeman / Mike Lenartowicz - 60
2. Dave Trier / Mike Armour - 63
2. Charlie Manocchio / Ross Beal - 63
4. Antonio Fernandez / Nate Shingleton - 65
5. Dave Oates / Sam Spino  66
6. Dave Cutlip / Brett Walchak - 67
6. Mark Thomas / Dennis Morena - 67
6. Vincent McDonald / Erin Kossack - 67

– Dave Oates

Mark Foss made the most of his chip-in birdie at the 378-yard 12th hole at Powderhorn last week and “cleaned up” — taking home the entire $345 skins pot.

The fiery Foss was shut out after the first three weeks of the season, but now sits atop the 2008 Greater Cleveland Skins Game Leaderboard, in quest of the Thompson Cup. Updated standings are posted below.

Geoff Nicely and Jim Lebzelter each captured the pin shots worth $52.50 each.

The Skins game moves to Fowlers Mill this coming Thursday, May 15 starting at 5:00pm. Green fees at Fowlers are $22.00 riding, which includes a beverage. Any players that want to play in a “warm-up 9″ before the scheduled skins game must call the course first to make such arrangements.

2008 GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME LEADERBOARD
1) Mark Foss - $345.00
2) Steve Blackburn Jr. - $303.60
3) Paul Kish - $268.60
4) Geoff Nicely - $236.50
5) Dave Sotka - $187.50
6) Brian McGinty - $184.00
7) Garry Zehe - $166.50
8) Phil Bosc - $103.50
9) Jeff Ettinger - $84.00
10) John Niedzialek - $63.00
11) Steve Blackburn Sr. - $59.80
12) Jim Lebzelter - $52.50
13) Tom Bond - $45.50

– John Niedzialek

Register today for the Championship Golf Association’s 2-man scramble at Turkeyfoot this Saturday! This event always has a large field and a big pot, and the turf conditions at Turkeyfoot are perfect right now.

To enter, either visit the CGA Website or call Jeff Jenkins at 216-556-0219. Initial entries close today and pairings will be posted this evening, but late registrations (with an extra $2 per player fee) are accepted through Friday…

–Allen Freeman