First up, Rob Skebe captured his first skin of the year with a birdie on the 375-yard par-4 second hole.

Dave Sotka knocked it to three feet with a six iron on Fowler’s signature hole, the 465-yard fourth around the lake, good for a birdie skin.

And Brian Pentek grabbed his first skin of the year as well with a short birdie putt on the very difficult 455-yard sixth hole.

Skins were worth $138.00.

Dave Sotka climbed the leaderboard further with a double-dip, adding a pin shot on the 200 yard par-3 third hole.

And the 2010 season-long money leader, Eddie Neer, added to his total with the pin shot on the 7th hole, cracking the $1,300 mark for the year.

Pin shots were worth $63.00.

Next week Thursday, the Greater Cleveland Skins Game moves to Chardon Lakes Golf Course starting at 5 p.m., a great way to warm up for the Cleveland Am the following day.

Players are reminded that in order to qualify for the big money Greater Cleveland Shoot-Out this coming Labor Day, they must participate in five or more Thursday Night events.

2010 GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME LEADERBOARD: WEEK 15

Schustrich and Okeson both hit the green in two on 10 and two-putted for birdie. Okeson then hit is second shot on the 11th hole to 1-foot for eagle, and followed that up with an 8-foot strike on the 186-yard par-3 12th for another birdie. Later, Okeson birdied the 16th with a swooping putt down the hill to get him to 5-under on his own ball for the evening. But the pair made bogey on the 18th to finish at 4-under par, still besting two teams by a single shot.

Jim Cea and Ronnie Bell nabbed the other half of the big carry-over skins pot when Bell knocked his second shot to 2-feet on the 14th hole, good for $510.

The winner’s big haul of $760 moved Okeson and Schustrich into the “four-figure” mark on the 2010 Leaderboard and into a tie for second place behind Mike Kracker. Updated money list here.

2010 Chippewa Scratch League Week 11 – July 26: Best Ball Back 9
1st – Okeson – Schustrich 32 $250 PP $200 GC
T2nd – Thomas – Crewse 33 $75 GC
T2nd – Spino – Oates 33 $75 GC

Skins
Okeson – Schustrich #11 Eagle $510
Cea – Bell Birdie #14 $510

Sr. Skins
Cea – Bell #14 $60

Blackburn Jr. made a “statement eagle” on the 490-yard par-5 8th hole on the Weiskopf Course, hitting driver then 7-iron to two feet.

The solo skin paid $396, and Jr. vaulted into third place on the leaderboard with his two-foot conversion.

Surprisingly, four holes of the nine at Quail Hollow had no birdies at all, as the field failed to capitalize on the near perfect conditions.

Pin shot winners were Mark Foss on the third hole, Bob Karshner on #5, Mike Angie on #7, and Mark Kovacic on the ninth hole. Pin shots paid $36 each.

Eddie Neer continues to lead the money race for the 2010 Thompson Cup.

Next week, the Greater Cleveland Skins game moves to Fowlers Mill Golf Course in Chesterland, where players can enjoy the $20 rate which includes the cart.

SPECIAL NOTE: announced today, the August 26th Skins Game event at Aurora will be the next “Double Down Night,” where $60 covers the pins and skins entry fee. 2010 schedule here.

2010 GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME LEADERBOARD: WEEK 14

Posting a score of 5-under par 30 in the scramble format on the front side, the pair kicked the 16 players who shot 4-under par into “Chumpchangeville” by a single made putt.

Mike Kracker and Dr. Jeff Mallette were one of the teams at 4-under par, meaning they added to their season leading money total.

No skins were won on the evening, forcing a carry-over of that pot into next week’s play.

Chippewa Scratch League: Week 10, July 19th – Scramble Front 9
1st – Trier – Lynch 30 $200 PP $200.00 GC
T2nd – Cea – Pulk 31 $18.75 GC
T2nd – Weaver – Kabasky 31 $18.75 GC
T2nd – Freeman – Kovach 31 $18.75 GC
T2nd – Thomas – Phipps 31 $18.75 GC
T2nd – Armour – Chadima 31 $18.75 GC
T2nd – Mallette – Kracker 31 $18.75 GC
T2nd – Bishop – Grosso 31 $18.75 GC
T2nd – Kohler – Skripac 31 $18.75 GC

Skins: CARRY OVER !!!

Sr.  Skins – $5 ea
Cea – Pulk #1,2,4
Stiller – Stiller #6
Niskanen – Thompson #5,9

Thursday’s round also finalized the five players who gained an exemption into the Cleveland Amateur Championship for 2010.

The current season-long leaderboard, Eddie Neer, wasted no time solidifying his position, hitting his second shot on the par-5 first hole to 18 inches and making the eagle putt for the first skin of the night. Neer also birdied the seventh hole from 20-feet to win two skins on the evening, worth $57.50 each.

John Niedzialek double-dipped for two skins on the night as well, making a birdie on the par-3 third hole and finishing the round with a birdie on the par-4 ninth hole.

The Blackburn family joined in on the fun, too: Steve Jr. birdied the 422-yard fourth hole, while Steve Sr. had the only par on the night on the difficult 425-yard par 4 fifth hole!

Since there is only one par-3 hole on the front nine at Aurora CC, Bob Karshner took home $105 for the pin shot on the third hole.

The Aurora event also brought to a close the Cleveland Skins Game race for the top five players who gained an exemption into the Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship, to be played at Manikiki Golf Course in Willoughby Hills in August. The top five players who earned exemptions for 2010 are Eddie Neer, Mark Julius, Tom Evans, Dave Sotka, and Steve Blackburn Jr.

Next week Thursday, August 22nd, the Greater Cleveland Skins Game moves to Quail Hollow Country Club (Weiskopf) at 5 p.m., where the green fees are $25 with cart.

2010 GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME LEADERBOARD: WEEK 13

Chadima’s par-saving chip-in from 20 yards allowed the pair to hold onto a one-shot victory, finishing with a 3-under par score of 55 to best the runner-up teams of Doug VanNostram & Rick Merrow and Darren Phipps & Mark Thomas.

2010 Chippewa Scratch League Money List leaders Mike Kracker and Dr. Jeff Mallette added to their already big pile of winnings on the season, stealing a skin on the 136-yard downhill par-3 4th hole with a birdie. Updated leaderboard here.

Thanks again to Kevin Larizza and his crew for the fantastic meal that followed play. Top of the line as always; very tasty! A touch that separates the Chippewa Scratch League from every other event series…
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Chippewa Scratch League Week 9 – July 12th: Rosemont 12-Hole Jumble
1st – Armour – Chadima     55     $450 PP
T2nd – Thomas – Phipps     56     $75 PP
T2nd – VanNostram – Merrow     56     $75 PP

Skins
Mallette – Kracker     #4     $250
Grosso – Bishop     #17     $250

Sr.  Skins
Cea – Pulk     #1 #8     $24
VanNostram – Merrow     #2 #5     $24
Larizza – Davis     #10     $12

Julius birdied the par-5 12th hole that held up for a skin worth $130.33, and he grabbed the pin shot at the uphill 150-yard par-3 14th hole worth $59.50. The double-dip was Julius’ second big night of the year at Wicked Woods, as he climbs into second place on the season-long leaderboard, less than $185 away from the lead still held by Eddie Neer.

Mike Angie captured his first skin of the year as he birdied the par-4 11th hole.

Brian Perkins earned the final skin of the night with a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-3 14th hole. Perkins has played in just 2 events this year but has already captured four skins!

Geoff Nicely closed out the evening with a pin shot the 15th hole.

Brian Pentek may have hit the shot of the evening, sweeping a massive snap hook around the trees with a 3 wood on the par-4 16th hole that ended up on the back fringe of the green, just past the pin. However, Pentek’s eagle putt just came up short and two other birdies were already posted.

There is only one more week of play left to determine the top five players on the leaderboard who gain an exemption into the 2010 Greater Cleveland Amateur Championship. Next week, The Greater Cleveland Skins Game travels to Aurora Country Club for the first time ever to finalize this ‘exemptions list’, with tee times starting at 5 p.m.

2010 GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME LEADERBOARD: WEEK 12

This time, the duo tied the equally hot team of Chris Okeson and partner Rob Schustrich in the better ball format on the front nine, with a score of 4-under par 31 on a hot holiday Monday.

That makes three wins for Kracker and Mallette after just eight weeks of play this season — and Kracker has a fourth win and an additional skin on the year without Mallette!

The 2010 Chippewa Scratch League Money List has been updated, as League CEO Kevin Larizza has determined the weekly gift certificate amounts for each week of the year. The updated money results shows just how far in front leader Mike Kracker is after just eight weeks, having won a skin and an event without partner Jeff Mallette.

In fact, after just eight weeks, Kracker has cracked the four-figure mark!

Mallette holds down the second spot on the money list, leading by just 50 cents over the teammates of Okeson and Schustrich.

But there is still a lot of golf left…
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2010 CHIPPEWA SCRATCH LEAGUE RESULTS:
Week 8, July 5th: Best Ball – Front 9

T1st – Mallette – Kracker 31 $75 PP $150 Gift Certs
T1st – Okeson – Schustrich 31 $75 PP  $150 Gift Certs
3rd – Simpson – Kravanack 32 $50 Gift Certs

Skins
Simpson – Kravanack #2 $170
Marr – Willgues #8 $170

Sr. Skins
Cea – Bell $10
Larizza – Davis $10

Of the 22 players in attendance, three newcomers cashed in for the first time this season while two regulars improved their position on the leaderboard.

Mike Lynch made his trip up from Akron worthwhile, as he made eagle on the par-5 11th hole to grab the first skin of the night, worth $126.50.

Carl Quercioli of Munson Township also put his name on the leaderboard for the first time, making a birdie skin on the challenging 440-yard par-4 15th hole.

Bob Karshner rolled in a downhill putt on the par-4 17th hole to take home a skin and move up the leaderboard into sixth place.

And Jack Vanadia of North Royalton made his first showing of the year a double-dip, as he capped off the evening with a birdie on the difficult 420-yard par-4 18th hole and also grabbed the pin shot on the whopping 244-yard par-3 16th hole, worth $77.

Mike Angie finished off the winning as he captured the pin shot on the uphill 165-yard 12th hole.

Since the skins were spread out among four players and no big moves were made, Eddie Neer maintained his lead over Mark Evans in the chase for the Thompson Cup.

Next week Thursday, July 8th, The Greater Cleveland Skins game travels to Wicked Woods Golf Course in Newbury beginning at 5 p.m., where players can enjoy a $15 rate.

2010 GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME LEADERBOARD: WEEK 11

The pair birdied 10 and 11 as expected, but sealed the deal with a solid birdie from 12 feet from the new 185-yard tee box on 17, and followed that with a great up-and-down par from 40 yards after starting from the 480-yard back tee on the 18th.

A whopping nine teams tied for second place at 2-under par 34.

While Kracker and Mallette lead the 2010 season long money list, the weekly gift certificate payouts still have not been determined, so standings are unclear. (C’mon!)

Chippewa Scratch Week 7 – June 28th: Scramble Back 9
1st – Mallette – Kracker 33      $230 Pro Pot      GC-TBD
T2nd – Marr – Nemo 34
T2nd – Davis – Stewart 34
T2nd – Weaver – Kabasky 34
T2nd – Freeman – Kovach 34
T2nd – Grosso – Bishop 34
T2nd – Thomas – Phipps 34
T2nd – Simpson – Kravanack 34
T2nd – Kohler – Skripac 34
T2nd – Robison – Parker 34

Skins:
Armour – Chadima #14 $230
Kohler – Skripac #15 $230

Sr. Skins:
Cea – Bell #17 $25
VanNostram – Merrow #10 $25