It was a perfect day for golf, on a course where the conditions were as perfect as the weather, in a 27-hole format that tests a 2-man team in every way.
One team loved that combination: recently-reinstated amateur Ryan Stefanski and 2012 Cleveland Am runner-up Matt Heestand ran out to a sizzling fast start — then held on at the end — to capture the 27-hole Fall 2-Man Jumble at Turkeyfoot Golf Links on Saturday.
Stefanski and Heestand tied for the low nine in the scramble format, shooting 5-under par 31 to equal Dr. Jeff Mallette and Mike Kracker on the first nine. But it didn’t look like that would happen right out of the gate: the pair birdied the first but then made par on the next four holes. Loosening up on the par fives, they ripped off four straight birdies from holes 6 through 9 to finish strong.
Heestand and Stefanski continued the scorching pace starting the second nine holes, going eagle-birdie-birdie on holes 10-12, which included two chip-ins. With that amazing seven hole burst, they stood at 9-under par after 12 holes!
But with a bogey at the par-3 15th offset by a birdie at the par-5 16th, the pair finished the better ball nine hole set at 4-under par 32, and in a first place tie in that format with Fred Miller and Larry Lahnan.
So with two first-place ties after the first two segments, Heestand and Stefanski looked to have the event well in hand. But it wasn’t a walk-in victory.
After a disappointing better ball nine that started with an eagle but went nowhere for the next eight, the team of Aaron Crewse and Brian Vincelette regrouped then made a big move in the alternate shot session on the third nine. Birdies at 20, 21, 24 and 27 led them to a bogey-free 31 and a 9-under par total score of 97, making them the leaders in the clubhouse.
A birdie at the easy par-5 21st by Stefanski and Heestand kept them in the lead. But a bogey at the very short par-4 22nd spun the wheels a bit, putting them a shot behind Crewse and Vincelette for the day. A birdie on the 24th righted the ship to allow them to get back to even. Then a giant birdie on the tricky par-4 26th gave them a one-shot lead heading into the short par-5 finishing hole. A pedestrian par there sealed the deal.
Stefanski and Heestand finished at 10-under par 96, good for a one shot victory. With the two first-place nine ties and the overall tournament prize, they earned $645 ea.
Vincelette and Crewse earned $424 each for their overall second place and nine hole finishes.
Another shot back in a three-way tie for third place overall were the teams of Mallette / Kracker (earning $504 ea after 2 skin winners), Miller / Lahnan ($322 ea), and Norton Brick / Brian Smith ($315 ea).
Complete results below.
Thanks yet again to Tim Davis and Charlie Mozingo for running one of the truly fun annual events of the Northeast Ohio golf season! A great day, great course conditions, a perfect setup, and a well-run event.
FINAL RESULTS: 2012 Turkeyfoot Fall 2-Man Jumble
9 holes each of Scramble, Better Ball and Alternate Shot
Turkeyfoot Lake Golf Links, Green, Ohio | Par 35-36-35=106
Saturday, September 15th, 2012:
| Stefanski – Heestand | 31 | – | 32 | – | 33 | = | 96 | $800.00 |
| Crewse – Vincelette | 32 | – | 34 | – | 31 | = | 97 | $600.00 |
| Brick – Smith | 34 | – | 33 | – | 31 | = | 98 | $400.00 |
| Malette – Kracker | 31 | – | 33 | – | 34 | = | 98 | $400.00 |
| Miller – Lahnan | 34 | – | 32 | – | 32 | = | 98 | $400.00 |
| Blaze – Oman | 34 | – | 33 | – | 33 | = | 100 | $200.00 |
| M. Thomas – Simpson | 33 | – | 39 | – | 31 | = | 103 | $80.00 |
| Martin – Stack | 35 | – | 34 | – | 34 | = | 103 | $80.00 |
| Skirpstas – King | 32 | – | 39 | – | 33 | = | 104 | |
| Hedrick – Tarter | 36 | – | 33 | – | 35 | = | 104 | |
| Russel – Miller | 35 | – | 36 | – | 33 | = | 104 | |
| Selzer – Senghas | 35 | – | 37 | – | 33 | = | 105 | |
| Freeman – Kovach | 33 | – | 38 | – | 34 | = | 105 | |
| Armour – Trier | 32 | – | 37 | – | 36 | = | 105 | |
| D. Thompson – Rybka | 35 | – | 36 | – | 35 | = | 106 | |
| Bishop – Li | 35 | – | 35 | – | 36 | = | 106 | |
| Cea – T. Davis | 36 | – | 35 | – | 35 | = | 106 | |
| Duda – Livak | 34 | – | 35 | – | 38 | = | 107 | |
| Kinkel – Mudrey | 33 | – | 33 | – | 41 | = | 107 | |
| Hetler – Kern | 36 | – | 36 | – | 35 | = | 107 | |
| Eberly – Morton | 34 | – | 35 | – | 39 | = | 108 | |
| Thornton – Roberts | 35 | – | 38 | – | 35 | = | 108 | |
| Seever – Shisler | 35 | – | 36 | – | 37 | = | 108 | |
| Karamas – Kloetzer | 36 | – | 36 | – | 37 | = | 109 | |
| Stull – Linn | 37 | – | 37 | – | 36 | = | 110 | |
| Biscardi – Andrews | 34 | – | 36 | – | 40 | = | 110 | |
| Schrader – DiFrancesco | 37 | – | 34 | – | 40 | = | 111 | |
| Woodrum – Szwast | 39 | – | 35 | – | 38 | = | 112 | |
| Hinkle – Dieckman | 35 | – | 42 | – | 36 | = | 113 | |
| Petit – Stewart | 39 | – | 36 | – | 39 | = | 114 | |
| Huff – Swartz | 37 | – | 38 | – | 40 | = | 115 | |
| Plute – Stenagle | 38 | – | 37 | – | 42 | = | 117 | |
| Ream – Rhode | 39 | – | 41 | – | 38 | = | 118 | |
| Rizzo – Rizzo | 38 | – | 41 | – | 46 | = | 125 |
SCRAMBLE – FIRST NINE – Par 35
Stefanski / Heestand 31 $245
Mallette / Kracker 31 $245
Crewse / Vincelette 32 $43
Skirpstas / King 32 $43
Armour / Trier 32 $43
Skins: $225 ea
Ream / Rhode (Birdie #2)
Freeman / Kovach (Eagle #5)
BETTER BALL – SECOND NINE – Par 36
Stefanski / Heestand 32 $245
Miller / Lahnan 32 $245
Blaze / Oman 33 $26
Kinkel / Mudrey 33 $26
Brick / Smith 33 $26
Mallette / Kracker 33 $26
Hedrick / Tarter 33 $26
Skins: $225 ea
Hinkle / Dieckman (Birdie #13)
Kracker / Mallette (Eagle #16)
ALTERNATE SHOT – THIRD NINE – Par 35
Brick / Smith 31 $205
Crewse / Vincelette 31 $205
Simpson / M. Thomas 31 $205
Skins: $112 ea
Davis / Cea (Birdie #19)
Hinkle / Dieckman (Eagle #21)
Mallette / Kracker (Eagle #24)
Simpson / M. Thomas (Eagle #27)
