Water covers the entire 9th green and a river runs down the fairway at Sleepy Hollow on Sunday

As the leaders made the turn on Sunday, it started to sprinkle again.

As the players reached the 10th green, some lightning flashed. Then came the rain. Lots of rain.

After nearly two hours of a strong, steady downpour, tournament directors Mike Raby and John Fiander determined that too much of the golf course would remain under water for the remainder of the day, so third round play was wiped out and the results after 36 holes would stand.

That meant a playoff between round one leader Andrew Bailey of Rocky River and Sleepy Hollow’s newly crowned course champion Pete Skirpstas of Medina would decide the 2011 Cleveland Am.

The rain ended the chances of the playoff roster being even larger — or perhaps crowning a different champion all together — as the top of the leaderboard was tightly packed with just eight holes to go. Skirpstas turned at 1-under par 34 and led Bailey and 3-time Cleveland Am champion Brad Steven going into the back nine by just two shots.

But Steven had birdied the ninth hole by nearly holing his second and followed that up with a birdie at 10 to create some momentum, while Skirpstas made bogey at the 10th for a two shot swing.

Unfortunately, that’s when the skies opened so the finish could not be completed.

Raby and Fiander made the call to revert to the 36-hole scores at 3 p.m.

At 3:20 p.m., the water had receded just enough on the 18th green that a playoff could be started. Skirpstas hit his tee shot into the right rough, while Bailey found the fairway.

Skirpstas cut a gap wedge around the huge tree in the right rough to a spot on the green below and left of the hole, leaving about 18 feet up the hill with a big left-to-right sweep.

So Bailey had an opening, and he took advantage. He hit his own wedge shot to about 12 feet dead above the hole; with the green being wet, he was in great position for his birdie run.

Skirpstas hit a solid putt that cruised just past the low side of the hole, leaving himself an 18-inch tap-in which he finished up.

That set the stage for Bailey to win the playoff.

Bailey read the putt carefully with his caddie, stroked the downhill putt — and it simply stopped. Some excess water between his ball and the hole left him halfway home. Earlier in the day, that same putt would have been dangerously fast.

Bailey was now faced with a downhill six footer just to tie, which he failed to convert by sending it just right of the hole. It was an extremely disappointing ending to the day for the 2011 Big Met course champion.

Andrew Bailey and Pete Skirpstas with their 2011 Cleveland Am Trophies

With the playoff victory, Skirpstas becomes the first Cleveland Amateur champion who is also the reigning course champion from the same site, as he won the qualifier at Sleepy Hollow two weeks previous.

A big thank you to Cleveland Metroparks golf professionals Mike Raby and John Fiander for their fantastic work throughout the tournament, and a big congratulations to Sleepy Hollow course superintendent Chad Lewanski who has done a fantastic job in bringing this challenging golf course back to tournament quality.
 

FINAL RESULTS: 2011 Greater Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship
Sleepy Hollow Golf Course, Brecksville, Ohio – Par 71
Friday, August 12 – Sunday, August 14, 2011
[Final round cancelled due to rain; *won on first playoff hole]
 

Pete Skirpstas takes a run at birdie on his final hole of the day, the 9th at Sleepy Hollow.

Two weeks ago, Pete Skirpstas of Medina shot rounds of 69-68 to win the Sleepy Hollow Course Championship and Cleveland Am qualifier, setting a new scoring record for that event.

On Saturday, Skirpstas posted a 2-under par 69 — which included a holed wedge from the right rough at the par-4 fifth hole for eagle-2 — to take a share of the top spot with first round leader Andrew Bailey of Rocky River after two rounds of the 2011 Greater Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship.

Bailey could have had the 36-hole lead alone, but suffered a three putt from the top edge of the ninth green, his last (above). Skirpstas and Bailey stand at even par 142.

Three time champion Brad Steven of Concord matched Skirpstas’ score with a 69 of his own, and sits tied for third place with Zach Glassman of Highland Heights and Matt Heestand of Cleveland at a 143 total.

The event’s only other three-time champ, Norton Brick of Elyria, is one shot behind that, setting up a great shootout for Sunday’s final round.

Bill Schaefer posted the low round of the day with a 68.
 

2011 Greater Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship
Scores After 2 Rounds and Sunday Starting Times
Sleepy Hollow Golf Course, Brecksville, OH – Par 71:
 

Bailey, who was the medalist at the Big Met qualifier this year thanks in part to a first round course-record 63, leads by one shot over Kevin Hamori of Chagrin Falls, who shot 2-under par 69. Matt Heestand also produced an under par round with a score of 70.

Second round action continues Saturday morning at Sleepy Hollow; starting times here. After Saturday’s play, the field will be cut to the low 40 and ties for Sunday’s final round. Watch for complete results, photos and starting times on Northeast Ohio Golf!
 

2011 Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship – Round 1 Results
Sleepy Hollow Golf Course, Brecksville, Ohio – Par 71
Friday, August 12, 2011:

2011 Champion Angela Codian with runner-up Nicole Trivisonno and Jill Stupiansky

Angela Codian of Massillon posted scores of 74-73 for an impressive win at the 2011 Women’s Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship played over 36-holes at Shawnee Hills Golf Course in Bedford this past weekend.

Codian’s 3-over par 147 total score was good for an 11-shot victory over runner-up Nicole Trivisonno of Wickliffe.
 

FINAL RESULTS: 2011 Women’s Cleveland Amateur Golf Championship
Shawee Hills Golf Course, Bedford, Ohio – Par 72
August 6th – 7th, 2011
 

With scores of 67 – 68 = 135 and a 7-under par total, Jaskolski won by a smooth six shots.
 

FINAL RESULTS: 2011 Shawnee Hills Course Championship
and Cleveland Amateur Championship Qualifying Tournament
Shawnee Hills Golf Course, Bedford, Ohio
July 30 – 31, 2011 – Par 71
 

2011 Manakiki Course Champion Alex DiPalma shows off his tournament hardware.

For the first time in several years, an over par score won the Manakiki Course Championship and Cleveland Amateur Qualifying Tournament.

Alex DiPalma bested the field with back-to-back 73′s for a 146 total, winning by a single shot.

Finishing in a tie for second place were the only two players to break par in either round: Charles Milo and Jack Elber.

The players who qualified for the Cleveland Amateur and the alternates are listed below. Good luck at Sleepy Hollow in two weeks!
 

FINAL RESULTS: 2011 MANAKIKIK COURSE CHAMPIONSHIP
AND CLEVELAND AMATEUR QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT
Manakiki Golf Course, Willoughby Hills, Ohio
July 30-31, 2011 – Par 72
 

FAILED TO QUALIFY:

(E) = Exempt into the Cleveland Amateur prior to the Qualifier

Brian VanDeMotter, Andrew Bailey and Mike Klaric (L to R) posted some low scores at Big Met.

After posting a course record score of 9-under par 63 in the first round, Andrew Bailey started the day with a four shot lead. He shot a steady 35-35=70 to capture his first Big Met Course Championship at 11-under par for 36 holes. But even still, Bailey’s victory wasn’t without some drama.

Brian VanDeMotter made a strong charge on the front nine with six straight birdies on holes 3 through 8. Brian had a one shot lead leaving the eighth green. But unfortunately, VanDeMotter made a double bogey on the long par four ninth hole and Bailey retook the lead and never relinquished it. Bailey made birdies on 16 and 17 to finish with a 2-shot victory.

Mike Klaric shot a 7-under par total to finish in third place, while Bryan Yeo posted 5-under par to finish in fourth. Some great scoring by the top finishers!

The top 12 players and ties qualified for the Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship at Sleepy Hollow in Brecskville August 12-14th. Because three of the top 12 players were already exempt into the championship, everyone at the score of 150 and below was able to advance.
FINAL RESULTS from the 2011 Big Met Course Championship and Cleveland Amateur Qualifying Tournament, July 23 – 24 in Fairview Park:

2011 Sleepy Hollow Course Champion Pete Skirpstas (left) and runner-up Jake Wetzel

On a tough setup with some challenging wet conditions, Pete Skirpstas of Medina backed up his first round score of 69 with an even better second round score of 68 to set a brand new Sleepy Hollow Course Championship 36-hole scoring record with a blistering 5-under par total of 137.

Jake Wetzel from Hinckley finished in solo second place, while first round leader William Schaefer shot 77 in the second round to go with his first round 68 to finish in third alone with a 145 total.

Both Skirpstas and Wetzel grew up together playing Ironwood Golf Course in Hinckley. Both then went on to play against each other for rival Division II schools in North Carolina; Skirpstas played for Mt. Olive College and Wetzel played for Belmont Abbey.

In previous years, Skirpstas has come close to winning the course championship at Sleepy Hollow, finishing second, third and fourth.
 

FINAL RESULTS from the 2011 Sleepy Hollow Course Championship and Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship Qualifying Tournament, July 23 – 24, 2011 in Brecksville, Ohio:

SKINS: Day 1 – $85 ea
Chris Davis #7
Mark Foss #8
Greg Allen #10
Chris Okeson #13
 

SKINS: Day 2 – $42 ea
Chris Davis #2
David Marshall #3
Greg Allen #6
Matt Timmons #8
Mark Foss #10
Allen Freeman #12
Mark Ciccerello #16
Lee Caine #17

(players not yet paid, email golf@NEOHgolf.com to arrange)

For the first time ever this year, Cleveland Metroparks Golf has spread the four qualifying events for the Cleveland Amateur over two different weekends to accommodate player schedules. The Sleepy Hollow and Big Met qualifiers are now closed and will be played this coming weekend. Players interested in trying out at Manakiki or Shawnee Hills need to submit their entries by this Sunday, July 24th. Use the PDF entry blank available from the event links…

SLEEPY HOLLOW GOLF COURSE: All play starts off Hole #1
Saturday, July 23, 2011

[SPECIAL NOTE: Derek Duda and Mike Bognar will be running a $10 per day skins game, payable on Saturday only for both days. Bodnar will be set up on Sleepy Hollow's back porch for entry collection on Saturday morning.]

BIG MET GOLF COURSE: Saturday, July 23, 2011

(Qualifying events for Manakiki and Shawnee Hills are July 30-31; entry deadline is Sunday, July 24th.)