After posting two second place finishes and a third in the last few years, Jerry Miller of Beachwood won his first Senior Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship on Saturday at Big Met, and he did it by an emphatic margin.

Miller followed-up his great first round score of 70 with a smooth 1-under par 71 to win by a whopping five shots over five different runners-up. Complete results for all divisions follow:

2008 Senior Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship
July 18 - 19, 2008, Big Met Golf Course, Cleveland
Top Finishers from Field of 104 Players

– Mike Raby & Allen Freeman

Jillian Stupiansky made an amazing final round charge, posting a sizzling score of 71 to win the 2008 Women’s Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship at Manakiki GC in Willoughby Hills by two shots. See the Plain Dealer story here. Complete tournament results below:

2008 Women’s Greater Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship
July 18 - 19, 2008, Manakiki GC, Willoughby Hills

– Tom Kochensparger & Allen Freeman

Three-time top-3 finisher Jerry Miller grabbed the first round lead of the 2008 Senior Cleveland Amateur Championship at Big Met Golf Course today, posting a smooth 2-under par 70.

Miller leads by one over Steve Bedell and Ward Watkins heading into Saturday’s final round.

The field is tight, as 17 players are within four shots of the lead, including defending champion and three-time winner Norton Brick at 74.

The first round scores are posted below, listed in reverse order so as to provide the Saturday Groupings and Starting Times:

2008 SENIOR GREATER CLEVELAND AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round Scores: Saturday, July 19, 2008 at Big Met Golf Club
Listed in Order of Final Round Pairings;  ** = ages 60 - 70, ## = ages 70+

– Mike Raby & Allen Freeman

2008 Women’s Greater Cleveland
Amateur Golf Championship

Manakiki Golf Course, Willoughby Hills
First Round Scores, Friday, July 19, 2008

Listed in Order of Groupings & Starting Times:
9:45    Bruell, Frederique    74
9:45    Stupiansky, Jillian    76
9:45    Boney, Mollie    78

9:30    Kocin, Lisa    78
9:30    Caldwell, Paige    80
9:30    King, Caroline    80

9:20    Suleiman, Amy    82
9:20    Merk, Lizzy    83
9:20    Lambert, Hannah    85

9:10    Powell, Lois    96**
9:10    Joyner, Brenda    97
9:10    Rihtar, Blaze    97
Levi, Rachel    WD

** Hole in One on #11 - Lois Powell!

Final Results: 57th Tigertown Open
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Elms Country Club, Massillon
6,722 yards, par-72; 6,167 yards Seniors

. . .

John Niedzialek and Steve Blackburn Sr. split the pot at Pleasant Hills this Thursday at the Greater Cleveland Skins Game.

Blackburn Sr. showed his son how to do it while moving up five spots on the leaderboard with his birdie skin on the 6th hole.

John Niedzialek received a “gift skin” with a par on the 8th hole! Each skin was worth $84.

Paul Kish and Cliff Lawrence split the pin shot money with $36.00 each.

Steve Blackburn Jr. still leads the Greater Cleveland Skins Game in his quest for the Thompson Cup, but was shut out for the fifth straight week.

The mid-season classic everyone has been waiting for is next! This Thursday, July 24 at Chardon Lakes GC, it’s “Double Down Night”, where all the stakes will be doubled! The cost to enter the 9-hole tournament will be $60 plus green fees ($21.00 riding and $15.00 walking). Please note that only players that have participated at least one time this season can participate in the Double Down event. The Double Down event will begin at 5:00 pm; any players that want to play a “warm up 9 hole round” before the scheduled skins game must call the course first to make such arrangements.

Greater Cleveland Skins Game Leaderboard Through Week 14
1) Steve Blackburn Jr.     $1110.27
2) John Niedzialek     $874.50
3) Paul Kish     $693.46
4) Mark Foss     $563.50
5) Dave Sotka     $294.83
6) Mike Angie     $286.56
7) George Martin     $268.20
8) Brian McGinty     $264.50
9) Steve Blackburn Sr.     $242.00
10) Geoff Nicely     $236.50
11) Russ Rybka     $201.00
12) Corey Iacofano     $168.66
13) Rob Schustrich     $168.66
14) Garry Zehe     $166.50
15) Anthony Maenza     $127.00
16) Nick Anagnost     $107.33
17)  Phil Bojc     $103.50
18) Jeff Ettinger     $84.00
19) John Zook     $77.00
20) Al Freeman     $63.00
20) John Distefano     $63.00
22) Jim Lebzelter     $52.50
23) Dan Lanese     $45.50
24) Clff Paxson     $45.50
25) Tom Bond     $45.50
26) Cliff Lawrence     $36.00

– John Niedzialek

Some tournaments coming up in the next few days, as Summer 2008 works through July:

- the Cleveland Skins Game heads to Pleasant Hills this Thursday;

- the big Tiger Town Open runs this Friday at The Elms in Massillon;

- the Women’s & Senior Cleveland Amateur go this Friday and Saturday;

- the CGA plays an individual stroke play event at Chippewa on Sunday;

- Thunder Hill GC in Madison hosts a 2-Man Cash “Black Tee” Scramble Sunday;

Check the Tournament Calendar for a complete listing of all Greater Cleveland and Akron golf events…

– Allen Freeman

On a perfect evening for golf, the Monday Chippewa Scratch League moved north to the well-conditioned Rosemont Country Club in Fairlwan for its “jumble” format and first cash/steak night of the season.

The team of Dave Oates and Sam Spino took the night’s top honor, winning by two shots over Mike Armor and Dave Trier in the 12-hole scramble / better-ball / aggregate / alternate shot format. Results and skin winners listed below.

Oates and Spino significantly padded their position in the season-long points race with the win; updated totals here.

As always, kudos to league CEO Kevin Larizza and his talented staff for the great meal, the well-conditioned golf course and a skillfully managed event.

Week 9 - 7/14/08: Jumble Cash/Steak Night, Rosemont CC 
1st   Spino - Oates 56  $430.00 
2nd   Armour - Trier 58  $100.00 
3rd   Mallette - Kracker 59 (SC)  $ 50.00 

Skins: $290 ea
Niskanen - Thompson #7  $290.00 
Weaver - Weaver #10  $290.00 

Sr. Skins: $30 ea
Niskanen - Thompson #1 & #7 
Weaver - Weaver #2 & #10 
Markham - Skorman #8 
Kline - Kline #17

– Allen Freeman

The Lazor Memorial Fourball Match Play is down to the final eight teams, after a weekend of qualifying and early round matches at Chippewa GC in Doylestown.

Teams playing in a 2-man better ball format qualified last Saturday to determine bracket placement; qualifying results are here. The Lazor bracket is here (although not yet updated).

The remaining teams will play as follows this Saturday, July 19 at Chippewa:

- Chris Minear / Rich Slivinski  vs.  Aaron Crewse / J. Covert (9:52 am)

- Dean Cutlip / Randy Skorman  vs.  Jim Cea / A. Yacovazzi (10:00 am)

- M. Considine / C. Clemente  vs.  Tom Stiller / Mike Armour (10:07 am)

- Dave Oates / Vaughn Snyder  vs.  Tim Davis / Larry Horner (10:15 am)

After the winner of each quarterfinal match is determined, the semifinal matches will be played that afternoon, matching the top two and bottom two brackets as listed above. The 36-hole final match will be held Sunday morning at Rawiga CC.

– Allen Freeman

Chris Okeson of Novelty posted a 1-over par 71 at a water-logged Windmill Lakes Golf Course on Sunday to win the Championship Golf Association stroke play event there. Okeson won by three shots over Brian Smith of Amherst.

A heavy early morning rain and a starting time delay reduced the field to the truest of die-hards. Scores and skins below.

With his second place finish and a pair of skins, Smith moves to the top of the season-long CGA points list.

The CGA moves to Chippewa GC in Doylestown next Sunday, July 20 for another individual stroke play event. To enter, visit the CGA website or call 216-556-0219.

2008 CGA Results, Windmill Lakes Stroke Play Event
Okeson, Chris    34 - 37 = 71
Smith, Brian    37 - 37 = 74
Jenkins, Jeff    37 - 40 = 77
Thomas, Mark    39 - 38 = 77
Oslie, Kory    41 - 38 = 79
Angie, Mike    42 - 38 = 80
Tyrrell, Pat    39 - 42 = 81
Coe, Scott    41 - 42 = 83
Mooney, Bill    41 - 42 = 83
Selzer, Adam    40 - 43 = 83
Ciccarello, Mark    40 - 44 = 84
Intorcio, Domenic    43 - 41 = 84
Simoniello, Mike    44 - 44 = 88
Krumlauf, Kyle    53 - 48 = 101

SKINS:
Smith, Brian (Hole: 3  Score:  3)
Angie, Mike (Hole: 4  Score:  4)
Okeson, Chris (Hole: 6  Score:  3)
Tyrrell, Pat (Hole: 11  Score:  3)
Smith, Brian (Hole: 17  Score:  3)
Angie, Mike (Hole: 18  Score:  3)

– Allen Freeman