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The Greatest finish
Porter comes from 4 strokes back to win
By Pete Mollica
Greatest Golfer of the Valley
Gallery
Greatest Golfer of the Valley Tourney at The Lake Club in Poland.
POLAND
MiKe Porter has earned the title as the Greatest Golfer of the Valley after he came from four shots behind on Saturday to win the tournament.
Porter captured the Open Division by one shot over Dick Marlowe as the Greatest Golfer of the Valley Tournament came to an exciting finish at The Lake Club. Three division championships were decided by one stroke and the fourth went to a sudden-death playoff.
Porter, a member of Tippecanoe Country Club, and Marlowe, also a Tippecanoe member, battled throughout the 18-hole final. Marlowe struggled at the end and Porter took full advantage, picking up five shots over the final two holes.
The tournament was sponsored by The Vindicator and Farmers National Bank.
Porter shot a three-over-par 73 in the final round while Marlowe, who led throughout the first two rounds, struggled to a 78.
Porter totaled 221 for the 54 holes to Marlowe’s 222. Youngstown Country Club’s Josh Zarlenga, who was in the final threesome, shot 76 for 225.
“I finished pretty well today, but I didn’t putt very well overall,” Porter said. “I think I had three or four three-putt greens today. The greens were tough to read and the lake really comes into the reading of these greens on a lot of holes.”
Marlowe took double bogeys on the final two holes and allowed Porter, who went birdie, par over the same holes, to overtake him.
“I didn’t play very well today and I didn’t deserve to win,” Marlowe said. “Michael played well and especially finished well and that was the difference.”
Both players praised the tournament.
“It was just a great event and very well run,” Porter said. “It is something that this area needed for a long time and I can only see it getting bigger and better next year.”
Marlowe said, “It’s competition and we all love competition. I really had so much fun out here in this event.”
The Ladies Division had four players in the finals. Joan Ash of Mill Creek and Sally Taylor of Trumbull Country Club were the two main participants.
Both golfers struggled throughout the round with Ash, who held a four-shot lead going in, struggling to a 95 and Taylor coming back with a 91 to force a playoff with their 262 totals.
The playoff went three holes before Ash made a two-foot par putt and Taylor leaving her par putt short ending the match.
“We were leaking oil pretty good at the end,” said Ash, who went from a first-round 77 to a second round 90 and finally a 95.
“I was hoping they’d leak a little more,” said Pam Holisky of The Lake Club, who shot a final round 88 for a 266 score. Michelle Caputo, the fourth player in the group, had the best round of the day with an 87.
James Lapolla finished up as the champion of the 6-12 Handicap Division shooting a 77 in the final round for a 234 total, but it wasn’t easy.
Chad Akins of Mill Creek had the best round of the division with a 75 and almost overtook Lapolla finishing at 235.
“Chad played outstanding today and going to the last hole I felt I needed to make at least bogey to win,” Lapolla said. “He hit his tee shot right and had to chip out and I was right in the middle.
“I hit a 9-iron figuring I’d just lay up and make my bogey, but I didn’t realize there was a sand trap there and hit it right up against the lip.
“Fortunately I was able to get it out and then three-putted for a double bogey to win it,” he said.
Nobody else finished closer than 12 strokes to the leader in the division.
Tom Onesti, playing on his home course and nursing a one-shot lead, managed to hang on to win the 13-over Handicap Division by two-shots over Chuck Petrosky of Mill Creek. Onesti shot 84 in the final round for a 261 total while Petrosky finished with 85 and a 263 score.
“It was a great day on a great course and I was playing in a group with three great guys,” Onesti said. “It was tough out there today and Chuck and I battled back and forth all day long. We were tied going to the 18th tee and then he ran into trouble and took a seven. I was very lucky today.
“It helped playing at home, I knew the greens and that was helpful, but everybody I my group putted pretty well today,” Onesti said.
Petrosky said, “I had a very tough shot on 18, a side hill lie where my ball was almost waist high and I bladed it badly.”
The winners in each division were awarded Greatest Golfer trophies and $300 gift certificates, while the runners-up and third place finishers received plaques and certificates for $150 and $100.