The English Pub,aka Public House, was Rocking. They did attract a small crowd with the news that Bob Wescott was playing in the OCAGA Tournament. He is the first tour player with any significant “British” heritage since Roger Reed was on the Tour. He was driving with 3 time Tour Champion Michael Lazachick, currently leading both Pinelands Monday and Tuesday evening leagues with partner John Larson. LZ often gets a God Bless You when opponents find out he is in his 78th year. Bob is not all that younger and they talked about no longer have the distance of even a decade ago. The pub crowd was quickly in a texting frenzy, coaxing everyone to turn on the OCAGA Tournament. In the Italian Bistro the Godfather was telling Bob’s story to Bruno. Because of his mother he is also considered part of their contingent. Bruno was captivated listening and hearing about the stabbing in the back that paralyzed and ended Bob’s very promising baseball career. The significant work, tenacity and determination displayed to be able to even walk brought an inspirational tear to Bruno’s eye. Playing the par 5 holes at par, erased LZ’s Birdie induced par three lead and at the turn Bob had him by a stroke head to head and he was getting a stroke. With Eddie Borillo and Dave Kishinger having difficult days, the Bistro was focused on Wescott.

Andy Swanson was tied with Lazarchick. Keith MacGregor and Marc Bohan placed the low gross 42 on the Scorecard, one stroke better than Bob. Yeah, Bob Wescott was playing right along with the low handicappers, keeping the ball in play and executing a very nice short game. Swanson’s Health Food stocks again soared during the tournament. The girl scouts were swooning with every power fade. They were eating Green Lipped Mussels sent from the Māori people of New Zealand in honor of Andy. The mussels purportedly are packed with nutrients and the anti-inflammatory properties have proven to be quite effective reducing Asthma, far too rampant in the scout population. Besides reflecting the growing presence of toxins in the environment, breathing difficulty also inhibits long term chanting of Richie Richie He’s too Cute. They were sent via the Polish American Tavern where Zuzanna prepared them in Old Polish Gray Sauce. Rich did have a slow start causing Kazimierz to go out back and let out a frustration scream. When he returned Stanislaw told him that The Doctor just suggested he was playing too tentatively. Richie loosened up and brought himself back towards contention. He played the back nine in 42, bested only by Larson’s sizzling 40!

At Le Petit Café, Pierre was pensive. Marc would get the low gross score, but he was strokes behind his personal performance the last time the Tour was at the Vineyards. The Hofbräuhaus was ignited early but it was not John Larson, who struggled with the early putts. It was for The Hammer, William Tiberious Finger, who was pounding drives in play eliciting oohs and aahs. When his short game kicked in, only John and Richie could beat his gross 43 on the back nine. Bill took closest to the pin on the fifth hole. LZ took closest to the pin on the third hole, so close he had a tap in Birdie. Playing the par fives at 5 over was just bad luck, but a second Birdie on the 8th hole kept him in the game. Joe Champion drove the par 4 eight hole over the daunting center of the fairway valley. His Birdie however, did not come until he sent a dart to 7’1″ for closest to the pin on thirteen and dropped the putt. His sandy on seventeen thrilled the Champion Club and with a decent back 9 finished in 8th place, losing the handicap tie breaker to Richie Antczak. Keith MacGregor electrified the Babbity Bowster Scottish Pub with an opening Sandy, a Birdie on 8, and a tie with Marc Bohan for low gross 42 on the front. With too many missed putts on the back, he finished sixth. LZ and Larson were again in a battle. Lazarchick was 3 up after nine but lost those strokes when he inexplicably sliced the ball into the water on 13 ending up with a six. It was the same club that wood deliver the ball inches from taking away Marc’s CTP on sixteen. John sunk a Sandy on ten, a Birdie on seventeen and finished with a low gross 40 on the back. By virtue of handicap Michael was fifth and John fourth, a position flip flop of Atlantis.

Needless to say, as the tournament progressed the excitement reached a fever pitch. All the Tour Professionals seemed to be showing off, in see-saw battles, dealing well with tricky greens, making saving shots sometimes out of high rough. Andy Swanson and Bill Finger were hitting with distance on the back nine, keeping pace with Marc Bohan. Joe Champion and John Larson were chasing an early lead by Keith MacGregor. Michael Lazarchick took the lead until his triple bogey on thirteen opened the door wide. Andy and Bob were now tied for the lead, with Bill just two behind. Joe, Richie and John were charging, but would run out of holes. Bill got within 1 on fourteen, but fell off and then came back to finish one off the pace. Andy took the lead by 2 on sixteen and held until a last hole triple bogey. Bob had nothing higher than his three double bogeys. He dropped five pars including the highest handicap hole and the last hole. Bob Wescott sent the English Pub and Italian Bistro into delirium becoming the first person ever to Win in His First OCAGA Tournament.

SCATS

In a bountiful day with 24 SCATS. LZ was the big winner with Joe and Bill in a tie for second place money.

POINTS

John Larson seems destined to repeat as the Regular Season Point Leader despite a continually lowering handicap. Andy Swanson pulled closer after the last tournament but had accepted an invitation to play Across the Pond and will miss Westwood. He will have the opportunity for a makeup round when he returns. Lazarchick is still vulnerable in third place and Keith MacGregor is in a dog fight with Joe Champion for fourth, with Marc Bohan way too close for comfort and William Tiberius Finger a Make Up away from contention.

• 129 Larson, John
• 124 Swanson, Andy
• 108 Lazarchick,Michael
• 99 MacGregor, Keith
• 96 Champion, Joe
• 94 Kissinger, Dave
• 93 Bohan, Marc
• 77 Finger, William Tiberius
• 64 Stocker, Phil
• 48 Fleming, Wayne
• 44 Antczak, Rich
• 34 Borillo, Ed
• 24 O’Brien, Mike 
• 19 Wescott, Bob

NEXT WESTWOOD WEDNESDAY JULY 21ST 1ST TEE TIME 9:18