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Gurska wins Greatest Golfer long drive title
Gallery
By Greg Gulas
CANFIELD
Matt Gurska has been on fire so far during The Vindicator’s sixth annual Greatest Golfer of the Valley competition.
After the Hermitage resident led his team to Monday’s Miller Lite Greatest Scramble Championship crown, he followed that up by capturing Thursday’s Longest Drive Championship at Tippecanoe Country Club.
He’ll need to stay hot if he expects pull off Greatest’s first Triple Crown and win this year’s adult golf championship that starts today at Mill Creek Golf Course. He’s the defending champ in thePete Mollica Men’s Open Division.
Hitting into the twisting winds and softened fairway on Tippecanoe’s No. 18, Gurska was the top long-drive qualifier in the preliminary round with a 316-yard drive. He needed just one shot in the final round, a 310-yard drive up the middle, to capture this year’s championship.
“I wanted to put my first two shots in play and was lucky enough to catch the second one and drive it. The main goal, however, was to finish in the top three in order to advance to the finals with a chance to win it all,” Gurska said.
Kyle Gruszecki of Leetonia and Giovanni Naples of Girard joined Gurska to advance from a field of 22 long drivers to the final three.
Gruszecki’s 312-yard drive was second-best during the qualifying round. In the finals, he posted two 298-yard drives, accomplished twice in the finals, to finish second.
A four-year letterwinner in both golf and baseball for the Bears, the 30-year old Gruszecki placed fifth a year ago and was looking improve upon that standing this year.
“I came in knowing that I had a chance to win and going fourth-to-last definitely has its advantage. You know exactly what you need to do in order to qualify,” Gruszecki stated.
Naples, a 2014 Ursuline High School graduate who is majoring in physical therapy at Penn State, was a contestant last year and a late addition to this year’s field.
His 310-yard drive was good enough for the third qualifying spot.
“Last year, I was young and with the gallery and grandstand right on top of you, it was a lot to handle. A year later, I hit third and used my first ball to set the pace,” he said. “I didn’t think I’d be the third and final qualifier as this was a strong overall field. I had to go back to my car to get my club and then get ready. I had a better preliminary round and with it colder at night, a 272-yard [final round] drive just didn’t hold up.”
Defending champion Jim Armeni, who won with a 341-yard drive in 2014, failed to advances, as did last year’s runner-up Andy Kalman (328-yard drive in 2014) and third-place finisher Jason Murdock (319-yards in 2014).
Kalman’s best of five preliminary drives soared 284 yards, Murdock added a 295-yard drive while Armeni launched a 320-yard drive that failed to stay in play.
Gurska, a Robert Morris University graduate who is set to turn pro this fall, said there’s a distinct advantage when going last.
“You know what number you need to beat. It definitely helps,” he said.
He’s also looking forward to the next three days of the adult tournament, but acknowledges the field is crowded with many excellent golfers.
“The goal now is to keep playing well and advance to Sunday’s final field,” he said. “I know that I can be one of be one of the golfers that makes it to Sunday. But I have to execute in order for that to happen.”
The 54-hole Farmers National Bank “Greatest Golfer of the Valley” competition begins with 18 holes slated all day today at Mill Creek Park’s North and South courses.
The 290-player field will play 18 more holes on Saturday at the Youngstown Country Club, Tippecanoe C.C., Trumbull C.C. and Oaktree C.C. with the field paired to 100 for Sunday’s championship round, slated for The Lake Club.
All coverage can be found on vindy.com/golf.