This year, those four players were (left to right) Dave Sotka, Carl “Unk” Quercioli, Dan Predovic, Mark White.

When none of those top-four competitors earned a earned a skin or a pinshot at Powderhorn, Dave Sotka of Chardon walked away with the 2011 Greater Cleveland Skins Game Championship, and with it his second Thompson Cup.

Sotka finished with 9 skins and 5 pinshots on the year, good for a season total of $1728.22. This was Sotka’s second Skins Game Championship; his last Thompson Cup win came in 2007. Sotka bettered his 2007 season total by $750.

After receiving the Thompson Cup, Sotka remarked, “The reality is that this is a skins game and I was real fortunate to have birdies and eagles hold up on the right holes. With that being said, it was a strong field this year and I am happy I could come out on top.”

For that final event night of the season (a ‘Double-Down’ night with double the normal entry fee stakes), 17 players participated and three skins were won worth $260.00 each.

Steve Blackburn Jr. earned a fantastic eagle skin by hitting a 3-wood from 240 yards out to 2-feet on the par five 16th hole. Brian Perkins made birdie on the long par four 10th hole, and Mark Foss scored a birdie on the par-3 14th hole.

Pin shot winner were Mike Angie on the 14th hole worth $108, and Paul Kish on the 17th hole earning the Mulligan’s pin shot worth $136.

Once the final event’s earnings were added to the total, there was only one fairly significant change in the 2011 Leaderboard standings.

Dan Predovic of Berea finished in second place on the season with $1,318.34 and earned unofficial “Rookie of the Year” honors. Predovic also won the individual stroke play “Greater Cleveland Shootout” event on Labor Day Monday, earning $750 for that victory. Predovic had the lead throughout much of the season, but Sotka made a great run at the end.

With his eagle skin on the final night, Blackburn Jr. vault into third place on the final leaderboard standings with $1136.21 for the year.

Carl “Unk” Quercioli was the leading senior player and had an outstanding year, finishing in fourth place.

Mark White finished in fifth, while Mike Angie was the 2011 pinshot leader and finished sixth overall.

The Greater Cleveland Skins game paid out over $13,000 in pins and skins in 2011.

Director John Niedzialek thanked all the players for a great year. “We had a record turn-out and many of the courses gave our players reduced rates and we certainly want to promote those courses in the future. Congratulations to Dave Sotka. It is a long season with many of the top players in Northeast Ohio participating. Give the man his due.”

“A special thanks goes out to Sean Kreft, owner of Mulligan’s Pub and Grill in Highland Heights, who has donated $1,000 to the Greater Cleveland Skins Game over the last two years. It is great to see courses and sponsors supporting amateur players in Northeast Ohio. I invite all amateur players to participate in 2012.”

Steve Blackburn Jr. earned the top spot in the Mulligan’s Pub Season Championship and took home an extra $452 on the year. An extra $1,100 was paid out on Thursday to the top ten finishers in the Mulligan’s season-long point standing.

FINAL RESULTS: 2011 GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME

On a beautifully warm and sunny evening, one player continued his hot-streak while another padded his season-long lead.

Dave Sotka, who currently holds the top spot on leaderboard for the 2011 season, wasted no time adding to his lead by making a birdie skin on the par-4 1st hole. Sotka extends his lead to $410 heading into next week’s final event of the season, to determine the 2011 Champion and the winner of the Thompson Cup.

Sam Corabi continued his red-hot streak of end-of-the-season skin-winning by draining a side-winding 40-footer for a birdie on the tough 178-yard par-3 5th hole.

And the last skin of the evening went to Joey DiDonato with an improbable chip-in birdie on the long par-4 8th hole.

Skins paid $115 each.

The Mulligan’s pin shot went to John Niedzialek on the 5th hole worth $60, and Steve Blackburn Jr. hit it to 3 feet on the 133 yard par three 7th hole to grab the pin shot worth $45.

Next week is the final “Double Down” night with the Thompson Cup presentation immediately following. Play will start at 4 pm at Powderhorn Golf Course in Madison. With the stakes being doubled, Sotka is not assured of the title yet!!

(Players are reminded that they must have played in six or more events to play in the season ending double down event at Powderhorn.)

2011 GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME LEADERBOARD: WEEK 25

The nearly dry session ended with two skins won, a rare double-dip on the pin shots, and no major changes on the 2011 Leaderboard.

Brian Pentek of Painesville has caught fire near the end of the 2011 season, this time claiming a skin on the par-4 10th hole by hitting it to 5 feet and making the birdie putt.

Mike Angie knocked in a 40-foot bomb on the par-4 13th hole for the other skin of the night. Skins were worth $161.00 each.

Brian Perkins found his trip away from his home course of Erie Shores worthwhile, as “Pinshot Perkins” claimed both pin shots: knocking it to 8-feet on the 175 yard par three 11th hole; and again to 8-feet on the 212-yard 14th hole. Unfortunately for Brian, both of his birdie putts missed on the low side or it could have been a double-double-dip! Pin shots paid $49.00 each.

Next Thursday, the Greater Cleveland Skins Game travels to Hawthorne Valley Country Club in Solon for the first time ever, with play starting at 4:15 p.m.

Can Dave Sotka hold onto the lead and take home the 2011 Thompson Cup? There are only two weeks left for guys to catch him!!!

Players are reminded that in order to be eligible for the season-ending “Double Down” event in two weeks at Powderhorn Golf Course, that they must play in six or more events before that date. For some, next week’s event at Hawthorne Valley may be the last opportunity to gain that eligibility for the season ending event on October 13.
 

2011 GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME LEADERBOARD: WEEK 24

Eighteen players came out to see if they could grab a big win and move up the 2011 Leaderboard as the season starts to wind down, but only one player accomplished that goal.

Sam Corabi of Painesville made the only skin on the night with a deuce on the 200-yard par three 12th hole. Corabi took all $414 of the skins pot back home to help out the Painesville economy! The cleanup was the season’s first single skin winner of the year.

Recently-crowned Erie Shores Club Champion Brian Perkins grabbed the pin shot on the 12th hole, while Mark White nabbed the other pin shot on 16. Pin shots paid $63 each.

Dave Sotka still leads the pack with just three weeks remaining in the 2011 Greater Cleveland Skins Game season!

Next Thursday, the skins game travels to Chardon Lakes Golf Course with play starting at 4:30 p.m.
 

2011 GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME LEADERBOARD: WEEK 23

On yet another rainy Thursday, Blackburn Jr. birdied both the par-four 10th hole and the par-four 17th hole for two skins on the night.

Blackburne Jr. carved out a smooth 67 on the night after playing the front nine as well.

Geoff Nicely, the “most experienced” senior participant in the Greater Cleveland Skins Game, showed the youngsters how to make an eagle skin on the par five 12th hole with a ten foot putt for the third skin on the night. (To correct a previous article, Geoff Nicely was the first senior player ever to break the $1,000 mark last year in the Greater Cleveland Skins Game, a feat also accomplished by Carl Quercioli this season.)

Phil Bojc grabbed the last skin on the night with a “double dip” on the 205-yard par-three 15th hole, taking home the pin shot and making the 20-foot putt for a birdie skin.

Mark White claimed the pin shot on the par-three 11th hole.

Skins were worth $74.75 on the night and pin shots paid $45.50 each.

Dave Sotka still holds onto the top spot by about $250 on the 2011 Leaderboard as we reach the final turn of the season in chase of the Thompson Cup!

Next week, the Greater Cleveland Skins Game moves to Wicked Woods in Newbury with play starting at 4:30 pm.
 

2011 GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME LEADERBOARD – WEEK 21

2011 Cleveland Shoot-Out Champion Dan Predovic (l) with runner-up Steve Blackburn Jr.

Building further on an already great season in the weekly Greater Cleveland Skins Game, Dan Predovic of Berea captured the 2011 Cleveland Shoot-Out at a cool, wet and windy Fowlers Mill Golf Course in Chesterland on Labor Day Monday.

The Nordonia High School standout, now 32 years of age, started out slowly as he was four over par after three holes. But Predovic held tight on the front side then made a charge on the back nine to finish with a score of 41-33 = 74.

Predovic’s stated, “I caught fire on the back nine” taking just 12 putts in a nine of 3-under par 33. But he noted that his birdie on the always difficult par-4 fourth hole “got me going in the right direction” after a tough start.

This was Predovic’s first Greater Cleveland Shoot-Out victory. Predivic took home the $775 first place prize and put smiles on the faces of his wife and 10-year old daughter with the trophy in hand. Predovic also nabbed 3 skins on the day, making it a four-figure haul for Dan’s family.

Finishing second just a shot behind was past-champion Steve Blackburn Jr. with a 75, good for $465. Mark Foss finished third with a 77, taking home $260. Also cashing were Phil Bojc with a 79 for $160 and Steve Blackburn Sr. Dave Sotka with 81′s good for $60 each.

Players competing in the weekly Greater Cleveland Skins Game are eligible to compete in the Cleveland Shoot-Out on Labor Day Monday each year, with a portion of the prize amounts boosted by private donations and the sale of raffle tickets by the competitors.

FINAL RESULTS: 2011 Cleveland Shoot-Out
Labor Day Monday, September 5th, 2011
Fowlers Mill Golf Course, Chesterland – Par 72

Dan Predovic, Berea 74 $775
Steve Blackburn Jr., Willowick 75 $465
Mark Foss; Mayfield 77 $260
Phil Bojc, Mentor 79 $160
Dave Sotka, Chardon 81 $60
Steve Blackburn Sr., Lyndhurst 81 $60
Erron Gomez, Westlake 82
John Niedzialek, Concord 83
Mark Borlin, Solon 83
Brian Pentek, Painesville 83
Paul Kish, Painesville Twp. 84
Mike Angie, Mayfield Hts. 84
Allen Freeman, Brecksville 86
Rob Schustrich, Wyndham 87
Bob Karshne, Painesville 87
Mark White, Cuyahoga Falls 88
Joey DiDonato, Olmsted Falls 92
 

Skins: $121 each
Predovic #4, #10, #13
Pentek #5
Freeman #7
Blackburn Sr. #12
Gomez #14

The Shoot-Out is an 18-hole stroke play event limited to players from the Greater Cleveland Skins Game who have competed at least six times this season. Entry fee is $60 for the event, plus an optional $50 skins game will be available. Greens fees/cart are reduced and paid directly to the course.

The tournament prize payouts are bolstered by the players selling raffle tickets and sponsor money.

The event was originally scheduled to be played at Chardon Lakes, but because of agronomy requirements there the greens needed to be aerified this week, prompting the late site change.

Entries are due today; email John to enter.

Nineteen players made their way around the hilly Tanglewood front nine in the 20th event of the season, and as a tune up to Monday’s Greater Cleveland Shoot-Out at Fowlers Mill. Two eagles and a great birdie took all the cash.

John Niedzialek got the eagle action going by holing out a wedge from 85 yards on the par-5 2nd hole for an eagle skin.

Steve Blackburn Jr. followed that up with an eagle of his own, hitting the green on the par-5 4th hole in two shots with a four iron and then holing a 15-foot putt.

And Dan Predovic made a great birdie on the truly difficult 232-yard par three 7th hole for the last skin on the night (in what could almost be considered an eagle since the hole is really a par-3.5).

Skins paid $145.66 each.

There were three pin shot winners on the evening. Mike Angie earned the Mulligans pin shot on the uphill 170 yard 3rd hole for $57.00. Dan Predovic hit it to 7 feet on the long par three 7th worth $38.00. And Paul Kish picked up the pin shot on the shortened 8th hole (which was converted to a temporary par three to 135 yards due to construction) worth $38.00.

Predovic’s skin and pin shot double-dip moves him closer to Dave Sotka on the 2011 Leaderboard, trailing by just over $250 going into the final few weeks.

A moment of prayer was held prior to the start for long-time Skins Game player Dan Lanese, who passed away much too soon last Saturday at the age of 57.

Next week Thursday, the Greater Cleveland Skins Game moves to Manikiki Golf Course in Willoughby Hills for the first time ever, with play starting at 4:15 p.m.
 

2011 GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME LEADERBOARD: WEEK 20

So the game was moved to Fowlers Mill in Chesterland — you know, the site where the tornado hit on Wednesday evening. Just getting to the golf course proved difficult, as several area roads were closed.

But neither tornadoes, wind and rain, nor fallen trees could not stop Mark White from cleaning up on Thursday night at Fowlers!

White captured the only skin of the evening by making a birdie on the difficult 210-yard par-three 3rd hole, worth a whopping $414! White makes a big move on the Leaderboard, jumping him into fourth place.

Birdies were tied on all holes except 1, 4, and 7.

Joe Zabukovec grabbed the pin shot on the 3rd hole and John Niedzialek had the pin shot on the 7th hole, each worth $62.

Only one more week to qualify for the Greater Cleveland Shoot-Out, which will be held Labor Day Monday, September 5th and featuring a $750 1st place payout. Entry forms are now available here. Paid entries are due September 2nd. Participants must have played in six or more Thursday events to be eligible for the Shoot-Out.

Next Thursday, the Greater Cleveland Skins Game moves to Tanglewood National Golf Club in Bainbridge, with play starting at 4:45 p.m.

2011 GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME LEADERBOARD: WEEK 19