Willow Creek Autumn Showdown!!

 

News Release by Christian Harrigan

 

Mount Sinai, NY (November 2, 2019):   The NY Long Island Golf Channel Amateur Tour (GCAT) visited the Willow Creek on a pleasant Saturday in early November.  It was a shotgun start with a raucous full field crowd at the awards ceremony where some near record skins were awarded.  The course was well-conditioned for November with the greens aerated a month prior to the tournament. Golfers really love the layout and variety of holes at WIllow Creek.  It truly provides competitive golfers with one of the best tests in Long Island.  

 

The winners and top finishers were those golfers who managed to keep the ball dry and out of any other trouble spots.  And here they are...


 

Championship(0.0- 3-9)

  • Bob Lanza (82) has gone back to back to back in the Championship Flight this fall, thanks in no small part to his competitive tenacity and stellar short game.  At Willow Creek, 9 of Bob’s 10 pars were connected to another par. For first place, Bob was awarded the Willow Creek Autumn Showdown Championship Flight Trophy and a $50 Visa Gift Card.   

 

Palmer Flight (4.0 - 7.9)

  • Scott Kata (78) birdied two holes and parred nine others to earn the top prize in the Palmer Flight by a slim one stroke margin.  This was Scott’s first Long Island win of the 2019-2020 season, and if 2018-2019 is any predictor, it will be the first of many. In addition to the Willow Creek Autumn Showdown Palmer Flight Trophy Scott was awarded a $110 Visa Gift Card.

  • Mike Hay (79) carded four birdies on the day, including two on par 3s where he hit his tee shot real close and earned a boat load of dough in the Closest to the Pin contests.  For second place in the Palmer Mike was awarded a $50 Visa Gift Card.    

 

Hogan Flight (8.0 – 11.9):

  • Alex Lundqvist (77) has resumed his winning ways in full force, earning his fourth Golf Channel win of the 2019-2020 season.  Alex had two birdies on the day in addition to plenty of pars. In addition to the Willow Creek Autumn Showdown Hogan Flight Trophy, Alex was awarded a $175 VIsa Gift Card.  

  • Neil Gangitano (79/38/23) prevailed in a match of cards that went all the way to best back 6 over his other runner-up Hogans to earn the second place prize, a $100 Visa Gift Card.  Neil’s stretch from the 13th to 18th holes included two birdies!

  • Ryan Heyes (79/38/26) nudged out his good buddy by one stroke on the back 6 to earn the third place prize, a $50 Visa Gift Card.  A thrill not for the $ differential, but for the principal of it. Ryan carded 8 pars and a birdie.  

  • Jeff Feldman (79/38/27) earned a $35 Visa Gift Card.   Jeff’s day included a long stretch of pars from the 10th -15th holes as well as a birdie and other pars sprinkled in.  

  • Alan Navarro(80) parred in bunches(1st-5th, including a birdie and 15th-17th)  Alan is becoming one of those professional amateur golfers, competing in a lot of tournaments and always walking away with something to show for it.  FOr his efforts at Willow Creek Alan was awarded a $30 Visa GIft Card.

 

Sarazen Flight (12.0 – 15.9):

  • Mark Roman (82) invaded from the Northwest(HV/NYC) to claim the Willow Creek Autumn Showdown Sarazen Flight Trophy and a $170 Visa Gift Card.  Mark’s winning formula included two birdies in short order and a number of pars sprinkled in for good measure.    

  • Chuck Fetta (84) reveled in his long locks and yet another consistent round of golf which yielded a birdie and seven pars.  For second place honors in the Sarazen Chuck earned an $85 Visa Gift Card.   

  • Kelly Penford (86) was a par 5 maven, parring all four of Willow Creek’s Par 5s.  For third place in the Sarazen, the always consistent Kelly earned a $40 Visa Gift Card.  

  • Kaz Baig (87) made his first foray into the Sarzen a successful one, walking away with the fourth place prize, a $35 Visa Gift Card.  Kaz parred nearly half of the holes on the day.  

  • August Emanuele (88) made all of his pars in pairs.  For fifth place in the Sarzen Auggie was awarded a $30 Visa Gift Card.        

Jones Flight (16.0 – 19.9):

  • Glenn Mezzapesa (82) has been enduring ceaseless chants of move him up, and for good reason, with this his fourth win of the young 2019-2020 season.  Glenn’s dominant four stroke win included a birdie and seven pars. In addition to the Willow Creek Autumn Showdown Jones FLight Trophy, Glenn was awarded a $130 VIsa Gift Card.   

  • Thomas Antonopolous (86/39) nudged out Brian Buonomo in a match of cards to earn the second place prize, a $70 Visa Gift Card.  THomas’s birdie on the par 3 11th also yielded him a skin, making it an all-around solid day.  

  • Brian Buonomo (86/40) carded two birdies, one of which paid off in the Skins competition.  Brian earned a $40 Visa Gift Card for the third place prize.  

 

Snead Flight (20.0 – Above):

  • Don McCabe (89) earned his first Golf Channel win thanks to his eight par day that led to an always solid sub-90 round.  So happy for Don as a first-time winner. I am sure he is eager to make it a habit. In addition to the Willow Creek Autumn Shodown Snead Flight Trophy Don was awarded a $ !00 Visa Gift Card.  

  • Patrick Reid (94) earned second place for the second time in the young season.  Patrick also had an amazing eight pars on the day, and if not one for one tough hole, he would have been a contender for the win.  Patrick earned a $40 Visa Gift Card.     

 

Closest-To-The-Pin 

Alan Navarro hit it to just 5’1” on the 2nd.  Mike Hay and Jeff Feldman split the CTP on the 14th with distances which were too close to call as Jeff hit it to 4’7” and Mike may have been slightly inside that, but there was no tape measure out at the time he crossed.  Mike Hay made then hit it to a ridiculous 1’7” on the 16th.    

 

Skins   

  • Champ/Palmer/Hogan Flight - Alan Navarro (2nd), Brendan Roberts (4th), Osbourn Ross (12th), Ryan Heyes (15th), Adam Mimran (17th)

  • Sarazen - Chuck Fetta (1st), Joe Deluca (2nd), Jim Giaccone (4th), Mark Roman (5th, 7th), Chad Haverty (16th), Alan Fernandez (17th)

  • Jones/Snead – Alex Kavourias (1st, Bob Petricke (4th, 12th), Paul Kaflinski (7th), Brian Buonomo (11th)

 

Giant Skins - Ryan Heyes (15th), Adam Mimran (17th)

 

Congratulations again to all of our winners! 

 

Christian Harrigan

Tour Director

NY Long Island