DATELINE OCTOBER 2018:

It was a pleasant day, not too cold, slightly windy with brilliant sunshine. Greate Bay was in superb condition with true and fast greens, promising to honor the well executed putt. To start the Championship, Scotty Shaw sent out a booming drive and then a sweet iron to reach the green in regulation. He masterfully took the first hole with a par. On the very challenging second hole, Charlie Ranucci was the only one to drop in a Bogey, which felt like a par. Marc Bohan and Milt Nicholas suffered through triple bogeys.

Giving a lot of strokes to his competition Marc’s early frustration was slightly quieted when he dropped a Birdie on 3.  Getting a lot of strokes from the competition, Milt’s frustration was climbing as he watched his handicap advantage dissipate. Indeed, Charlie Ranucci caught him on the 3^rd hole and after delivering a snowman on 5, Milt dropped into 3^rd place behind Charlie and Scotty Shaw. Milt rebounded with a Birdie on 6, flip flopping with Scotty who took an untimely Bogey. Charlie would turn the corner at nine holding the lead in tight competition.

Marc Bohan crawled back into the match dropping his 5^th par, since the early Birdie, on the 10^th hole.  Also with a par on 10, Scotty caught Milt, both now 1 behind Charlie, but Marc was advancing,  just two strokes back. Tensions escalated. Everybody was clearly in the match. There was not a big difference between the regulation and senior tees on number 11, but championships reward precision play and strokes do magnify as the number of holes remaining, lesson.  Marc would encounter a second, devastating triple bogey and follow with a double on the very challenging 12^th hole. Scotty Shaw suffered two straight double bogeys. With a par on 11, Milt caught Charlie, only to give back the lead, when Charlie took the 12^th with a par.

As they looked at the 13^th hole, Milt was wondering if the match had suddenly and quickly shifted to a two man race. When Charlie missed the tee shot to the par three, everyone was stunned. Milt took a deep breath and followed by landing his ball on the green. Having been so strongly in contention since the second hole, the quadruple bogie Charlie would endure was staggering.  Milt was almost in disbelief but quite focused when his second shot hit the rotation.  He took two strokes to secure the par.

With a sudden 3 stroke lead, lessor contenders might have lost focus or moved to a more conservative consciousness. But while an OCAGA Tour Rookie, Milt was a veteran champion in other venues. He shifted up a gear, dropped Birdie on 14^, followed by pars on 15 and 16. As he approached 17 with a 5 stroke lead, he fought to control rising joy knowing he just needed to avoid disaster. He finished four strokes ahead of Charlie and Scotty.  Milton Nicholas defeated the best players the OCAGA Tour had to offer winning the 2018 Championship.

In the Memorial Tournament for players not in the Finals, the format was 6 holes best ball, 6 holes alternate shot and a 6 hole scramble. Rob Juliano with the longest drives on the tour and Bob Sweiderk with a masterful short game, proved to be the strongest team, winning by 3 over Hamm and Ruth. Lazarchick and Swanson were another stroke back for 3rd place money.

Banquet NEXT     Friday,  APRIL 5th     Crab Trap  6:30 pm  If you have not already let him know, confirm your attendance with Art.

Opening Day of 2019 Season:      April 7th        Harbor Pines          1:00 pm      $55