Long Drive, Par-3 Shootout championships decided at Tippy

By Greg Gulas

sports@vindy.com

CANFIELD

Nick Braydich’s goals going into Thursday’s HBK Greatest Golfer of the Valley Long Drive competition were a top-three finish in the preliminary round and then to kick his swing up a notch in the finals.

His strategy paid off.

Braydich was third overall after the opening round with a drive of 305 yards, trailing leader Patrick Gray (324 yards) by 19 yards and 2016 champion Patsy Daltorio (320) by 15 yards with three shots remaining to win it all.

He outshot both Daltorio (281 yards) and Gray (280 yards) with a top drive of 310 yards to win the event, easily outdistancing 16 other hopefuls at Tippecanoe Country Club.

In addition to HBK’s sponsorship, Golf Headquarters served as prize sponsor.

“I felt that if I could get to the finals, then I would have a chance,” Braydich said. “The key in the final round was making an adjustment with my left foot. I opened it up, got a better turn and it worked.”

Defending champion Ryan Monahan, whose 324-yard drive last year was three yards better than runner-up Scott Hoff, failed to advance with a best 250-yard drive while Hoff’s 273-yard drive was seventh overall after first-round action.

Daltorio knew what he did wrong in the finals.

“I just pulled the ball a little too far to the left and the one that I left on the grid, wasn’t on the screws,” Daltorio said. “The rest is history. It was a fun competition.”

Gray fell to third after leading heading to the finals.

“I just couldn’t hit it on the button in the finals,” he said. “This is always a great competition and both Nick and Patsy got it done when it counted.”

In ladies action, Felicia Ciotola-Drevna’s 225-yard drive outdistanced Jenna Jacobson (214) by nine yards for a rare three-peat.

Becky Rupert finished third.

“The weather was perfect, the course in excellent shape and the rain stayed away,” Ciotola-Drevna said. “I was happy with my swing and pleased with my effort today.”

Jacobson was participating in the event for the first time.

“The goal was to get my first shot in play, so I was pleased with a 214-yard drive,” Jacobson said. “Felicia did an excellent job with her drives and I was happy with my runner-up finish.”

In the closest competition of the evening, Bob Leonard’s 250-yard drive took top honors in the senior division with Ray Vershum (247) finishing runner-up, three yards off the pace and John Beard (240) 10 yards back in third place.

Leonard finished runner-up a year ago, three yards behind champion Rocco Gennaro.

“This is an enjoyable, friendly competition,” Leonard said. “It’s always nice to play with guys that are your good friends.”

Vershum was playing in his second competition.

“Last year, I hit my drives into the trees, so I am pleased with a runner-up finish this year,” he said. “I hit the ball well, it was a great outing and I’ll see most of these guys starting tomorrow when the Greatest Golfer’s 54-hole tournament gets underway.”

The inaugural Par-3 competition staged the most dramatic finish with HBK’s Josh Zarlenga and former Kent State University golfer and Tippecanoe Country Club champion Scotty Porter needing five extra shots to settle the championship.

Dan Horacek, the 2012 Greatest 15+ division champion, joined both Zarlenga and Porter in the finals with Zarlenga’s fifth shot of the shootout claiming the initial Par-3 victory.

“Scotty and I have known each other for over 20 years. It was fun to go head-to-head with him in the finals,” Zarlenga said. “There was plenty of excitement for everyone.”

Michael Spiech, Tippecanoe golf pro currently in his 16th year at the club, likes how things have progressed in each division.

“This competition just gets better every year,” he said. “Technique and technology are really helping the golfers and while the majority of golfers aren’t using the correct equipment, we expected good swings from all of today’s longest drive contestants.”

Greatest week continues today beginning today at 8 a.m. with the Farmers National Bank 54-hole stroke play tournament at Mill Creek.

Round two is set for 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Youngtown Country Club, Tippecanoe, Avalon Lakes, Trumbull Country Club and Salem Golf Club.

The final round begins at 9 a.m. Sunday at The Lake Club.

Admission is free and spectators are welcome at all Greatest events.