It was a cool, crisp October morning with a Frost Delay. Marc Bohan putted and went to the driving range as soon as it opened. He had shared confidence speaking with his buddy Rob Juliano about how few strokes he had to give and getting one from the Doctor. LZ of course paid off all the SCAT Money, completed his circular ritual, sinking putts on the practice green from ever increasing distances. He and Joe Champion agreed they would need their best game to be competitive with Marc. While they also went to the Driving Range, Phil, to prepare, chose his traditional putting contest with OB.

When Marc Bohan sent his opening drive right, into the trees, his opponents were surprised. While some opponent fans expressed an optimistic joy, Fans in the Café gasped! Virtually everyone envisioned a safe second shot, left onto the fairway, avoiding the forest of trees blocking the path to a normal 2nd shot landing. Then at Le Petit Café, suddenly everyone shifted to holding their breath. He was going for it. His concentration was focused. The swing was pristine. Marc navigated the ball through an ever so slim pathway straight ahead, onto the fairway, perfect for hitting the green in three and he did, leaving the opportunity for an 8 foot Birdie Putt! Pierre lifted a glass and proclaimed, “This is for the Championship and our Champion came to Play!”

At the Champions Club a new portrait of Joe was hanging next to his daughter Stephanie. After Rookie of Year in 2021, he was elected unanimously to the Presidency, clearly a role model for his children and young people everywhere. Humbly, he credits his wife’s genes for the athletic success of his daughters, but he is the one who opened the OCAGA Tour to Women and increased membership for the first time in years.

When Stephanie was named 2022 Rookie of the Year, Girl Scouts hugged and cried with Joy. She won a tournament, consistently out drove many of the men and devoted many hours in community service tending to needs of children. Joe’s administration is now being viewed as One of the Best if not the Best in History. In his first Final Four, he knew he was in fast company. His opponents collectively held 7 OCAGA Championships. After a powerful approach shot flew the green, he opened with a double bogey 7.

The vivacious journalist Solveig Kloppen spoke on TV from the Norwegian Cruise Line Platinum Members private Scandinavia Pub. Marketing the upcoming Phil Stocker Cruise, she recounted his knocking off of Tony Sickler and Marc Bohan in consecutive years (2007-2008) for back to back Championships. He opened with a short drive and minor chunk but nice putt, leading to an opening Bogey.

Stanislaw and Czeslaw at the Polish American Pub were recounting Michael Lazarchick’s playoff loss a year ago after a dazzling comeback in the final holes. They talked about how he had beaten Marc Bohan getting only one stroke in 2017 and how skillfully he took his third title during 2020, protecting a 2 stroke lead over the Bomber Rob Juliano with a clutch performance over the final holes. A long drive and long two wood got him withing the 150, but in heavy rough. He short iron was short but a nice chip got him to 10 feet. He left his opening par putt an inch short of the cup on the slower than normal, uncut green.

Mark settled for a tap in par on 1 and sunk two more for par through 5, finally faltering to a double on the difficult 6th hole, into a fairly strong wind. Phil lost three strokes through 5 and also slipped to a double on 6. Michael used three strokes for a layup to get over the water, but did not. His next was short and four stroke later he missed a very short putt, suffering to a 10! Joe had been struggling through a terrible double and triple bogey journey and his 7 actually felt like a turn around. Indeed his following par,par, birdie helped him break 50 at the turn. Marc lost strokes to LZ and Phil on 7 & 8, but took one back on 9. At the turn, Phil’s 45, with handicap, gave him a three stroke lead over Marc. Joe was third by 5 and Michael last, 8 off the pace.

The Memorial Tournament this year featured, Mike O’Brien with a 21 handicap, Eddie Borillo at 22 and Tom Gahr at 24. Needless to say all three are swarmed for autographs, when they visit their favorite drinking establishment, respectively the Irish Pub, Italian Bistro and Hofbräuhaus. OB holds the record for most regular season Victories. Eddie has legendary fame for his improbably Glimmer of Hope journey to the Championship and Tom raked in the money during his record breaking 2021 SCAT winning season. All three took Rookie of the Year upon entry to the Tour. Joining them with a GHIN handicap of 22 was Jimmy Depiano, qualifying for a 2023 Tour Entry. Eddie won with a net 72, followed by OB 75, Jim 78 and Tom 80. At the Bistro the Godfather lamented, if only Eddie had made the final four, he would be holding that Championship Trophy!

In the Championship, Phil battled a charging Lazarchick, taking the 16th hole with a masterful putt. LZ who had shaved off 6 strokes after the turn, ringed the hole. He caught Phil on the 18th. Joe Birdied the 9th with precision shots and a great 12 foot putt. On the 18th he delivered the shot of day yielding a tap in Birdie. He would still finish two more strokes off the pace for 4th.

Marc Bohan however displayed what it means to move into the Zone! After dropping two more strokes to the Doctor on 10 and sinking a long putt for a tie on 11, still a stroke behind the leader, he pulled in his focus. He took the lead from Phil with a 25 foot Birdie on 12 and let LZ know the match was now about perfection. He would not lose another hole until 18 and that was after he dropped a beautiful 10 foot Birdie on 17. A gross 38, 2 over par, on the final 9 holes set a new record in modern OCAGA Championship play. Marc Bohan beat the best the tour had to to offer for the 2022 Championship.