Le Petite Café, the Italian Bistro and Polish American Tavern were overflowing with Customers. Jean-Louie the owner of the Café was proud of patron decorum. Marc Bohan had been marvelous in the final weeks of the season, capturing the fourth position in the Final Four. The Godfather was elated with Rob Juliano’s climb into a second place for the season. Michael Lazarchick easily made the finals for the chance to defend his title. Of Course, Art Czachorowski delivered a record breaking season. The promenade echoed with chants emanating from the Polish American Tavern, “Artski Sixie!” It was a Championship of Champions, with Ten OCAGA Titles won by the foursome. What no one anticipated however was seeing what the press is now touting, THE GREATEST CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW BY FOUR PLAYERS IN OCAGA HISTORY.
Czachorowski and Lazarchick dropped par on hole 1, taking the gross lead by one over Bohan and Juliano. Everyone bogeyed hole 2 and all four would drop par on 3. No one remembered ever seeing all four players on the green in one. With 3 pars and a Bogey on 4, Juliano commented , “It looks like everyone came to play.” Indeed, by the end, everyone had held the lead during the match.
With the highest handicap, Lazarchick lead through 4, finally opening the door with a triple on hole 5 after his drive faded into high rough. Both Juliano and Czach tied him seven strokes ahead of Bohan. Rob, with a massive drive on 7, prompting a Bistro Chant with mugs held high, “Italian Bomber.” He took his first outright lead. But Lazarchick took it back on the very next hole with a saving two wood that put him on the fringe in two. By the turn however, Lazarchick, Juliano and Czach were tied, with Bohan just 6 strokes off the pace. The fans were captivated by every swing, feeling the pain of any slight miscue and the exhilaration of perfection.
With a long par putt on 10 and a chip in par, on 11, Art sent a chilling message to his competitors amassing a three stroke lead. But on the next hole, an uncharacteristic pulled drive into the weeds and a fourth shot, chunk into the water, lead to a rare 10. Juliano regained the lead, Lazarchick took some minor slips and Marc was slowly chipping away. Czach with back to back pars, would retake the lead on 14, only to give it back to Juliano on 15. Marc Bohan however, finally reached a share of the lead after 16.
The Seventeenth is often the hole that changes the dynamic of the championship. Adrenalin is flowing. Rob hit a bomb into a yard down the left side and Marc found rough and clipped tree leaves on the right side. Both leaders suffered double bogey. Lazarchick sent a beautiful drive down the middle and followed with a two wood onto the green. His par brought him into a tie with Marc and Rob going into the final hole with Art just behind. Everybody was in the battle, with one to go! Every fan was on the edge of their seat.
All players needed a saving shot to cut through the tension. Lazarchick and Bohan prevailed and moved on to hole 1, into a sudden death playoff hole. Marc Bohan display poetry in motion driving the ball down the center of the fairway and dropped the ball 6 feet above the hole. His birdie putt so very close, left a tap in par. Lazarchick hit into the high rough surrounding the bunker off the left side of the fairway. He managed to get close to the green. But, he chunked his 3rd shot out of the heavy greenside rough and did not sink the 15 footer from off the green to tie. By the time it was over Marc had posted a gross 81 on the scorecard and sunk a total of 8 pars. Marc Bohan beat the best the tour had to offer to become the 2021 Champion!
Ocean City Amateur Golf Association 