The patrons of the Irish Pub were giddy with delight as the Centerton Tournament came down to the closing holes.  Michael O’Brien stopped the Doctor’s bid to repeat as winner in a dramatic 2 man race to the finish line. In an exclusive interview with the OCAGA Investigative Reporter, LZ remarked that,  “OB has my number. He has been edging me out for low score on a regular basis in our practice games, outside the tour and his index is honest and up to date. What can I say? I shot my lowest score of the season!”

O’Malley was on a makeshift podium spouting the tale, with beer mugs in toasts, undulating and oscillating with ever increasing frequency, spraying a fine mist of newly tapped O’Hara’s Irish Red into the air. They liked the price compared to Guinness Extra Stout and after a few pints, it was just as good!  Some seemed to remember that OB might have had reddish tints in his hair when he had hair, long, long ago.  In a strong Irish Brogue, “After finishing 3^rd at Golden Pheasant, just a stroke off the pace, faltering late, our OB was methodical in this tournament, as others fell off the pace.”

Earlier in the day, a few doors down at the Polish American Tavern, absolute delirium had erupted from the Old Guard during the tournament opening.  Art Czachorowski came out on fire, with play resembling that which took him to 5 Championships and Legendary Status on the OCAGA Tour. He led the field in gross score after 6, 1 over par. Yeah, Artski Sixski could be heard up and down the promenade.  Art hiccuped and finished the front with a respectable 42, prompting a switch to Art being on his way to hitting his age, which was in play until the closing holes.

From O’Malley, “Was that a 42 he shot on the front, our Irish Lad?” OB was playing close to the big boys. Glenn Hamm and Marc Bohan each delivered a 38. Read placed a 40 on the Scorecard and Ranucci took 43 stokes. But Ob was playing in the foursome with who he believed was his real competition, the guy who dragged him onto the golf course for the first time and gave him formative “lessons.” LZ birdied 7, erasing one of his early bogies and delivered a one over, 36, on the front. Ob, already 8 strokes behind after 12 holes told him it was the best he had ever seen him play.

Young Roger Read was dazzling across the back nine. The English Ale House patrons actually displayed emotion when he sent in the 30 foot Birdie on 18 to tie Lazarchick for low gross score on the day (78).  Lazarchick was way too casual tapping in a one footer for par that ringed the cup, ending in bogie.  For Roger, it was his second birdie in four holes.  “Jolly Good Old Man,” as they raised glasses of  Worm Catcher Indian Pale Ale   made by Late Knights.  He took a step up the ladder with a 3^rd place finish and brought the possibility of final four participation in play, just six points behind Glenn Hamm, currently 4^th on the point list.  The Lord Great Chamberlain happen to be visiting from the British Isles and commented on Roger’s Decision to skip the Emerald Links Tournament for a free round of play at Blue Heron. “It’s a Bloody Shame if that is what keeps him out of the finals!”

O’Malley after a long quaff continued, “Twas the Birdie on 13 that propelled our fair skinned hero to victory!” Indeed, OB took 2 off the lead, claiming a share of the lead. Then he beat the Doctor by shaving off 2 more for a back 9, 40 !

THE DOCTOR EXTENDS HIS LEAD : In the race to the final four, LZ is now 33 points ahead of fourth place very close to mathematical certainty of playing on Championship Sunday. Charlie Ranucci with a 13 point advantage also looks like a shoo-in! No one in OCAGA history in second place with three to go, has ever failed to make the finals.  Art Czachorowski, Glenn Hamm, Marc Bohan and Roger Read are a formidable quadratical, all in contention. Juliano and Shaw need to get into the winner circle and Mike O’Brien needs the Luck of the Irish to buffer his rising skill.

POINTS WITH THREE TO GO

• 125 Lazarchick, Mike
• 105 Ranucci, Charlie
• 93 Czachorowski, A
• 92 Hamm, Glenn
• 89 Bohan, Marc
• 86 Read, Roger
• 80 Juliano, Rob
• 77 Shaw, Scott
• 75 O’Brien, Mike
• 52 Buechner, John
• 50 Swanson, Andy
• 47 Stocker, Phil
• 44 Borillo, Ed
• 42 St George, Don

Bruno asks the Godfather about indexes

When Rob Juliano threatened to file a formal complaint with the Tour Commissioner on the failure of updating handicap indexes, Bruno asked the Godfather what it meant and does it matter. More or less he heard,  that the French were somewhat rebellious and all to casual with subjects the Italians honor.  Of course,  Marc Bohan’s strategy of not putting in scores since June 2016 has paid off in his competition with Roger for lowest handicap on tour. Roger, an active updater, added a point to his index when the new August 1st updates entered the picture.  Of course, Juliano and Ranucci are current.  While Rob’s index climbed slightly, Charlie’s dropped a couple of points.  Lazarchick and Hamm also saw drops in their indexes.  They are finally playing consistently better. Czachorowski apparently has not been playing much or is just forgetting to post.  He has only one entry a month,  during April and May and June,  the 8th is the last. Of course, the 98 he shot at Golden Pheasant would not make his top ten, but the 86 at Centerton might have lowered his number, slightly. Shaw has not been playing all that great this season and perhaps not as often. He does have a couple of low 80s  scores from August of last year which will be out of the picture with his next two updates. The 10 lowest from the past 20 are in the handicap system. Bruno zoned out about halfway through the answer, completely confused. He did hear the closing remark that everybody is pretty close to their real handicap, give or take a point or two, and winning is really about who “shows up” on game day.

St George Mystery Expands

The picture on the left was received by anonymous mail delivery at Sanctuary Publications, owners of the OCAGA News Blog, with a cryptic message,  Is Don St George Beginning to Dissappear?   Notice there is a reflection of a person in his sunglasses, perhaps the last person to ever see Don? The anonymous reward for information about the whereabouts of Don has been expanded to include the identifying the person in the reflection.  Do you know who it is? A second photo was received at Sanctuary Publication just before the current Blog went to press. Don did not show up at Centerton much to the chagrin of the St George By the Sea Canterbury Fair volunteers. Another cryptic message was included.  Is Don Saint George Missing?  This is not altered photography as confirmed by the OCAGA News Blog Award Winning Expert Photographer.  Are we looking at,  perhaps the last fleeting “puff” of Don St George’s existence ? Who is sending these clues? What dastardly fallaciousness is a foot?

NEXT    BUENA VISTA       AUGUST 6^TH    11 AM