The Greater Cleveland Skins Game season came down to dramatics on the final Thursday night at Pleasant Hills in Chardon. The top four players on the season-long money list played together in the last group – and on “Double Down” night, no less, where the pot entry was doubled. At stake was claim to the Thompson Cup for 2008.
Steve Blackburn, Jr. led the money list at the start of the night (and for most of the season). Chasing were John Niedzialek, Mark Foss and Paul Kish.
Kish of Painesville Township made the strongest effort to take the Cup, posting birdies at both the second and seventh holes. But both birdies were tied by other players.
Niedzialek and Foss had great opportunities to overtake Blackburn’s lead and grab the Cup on par-3s: Niedzialek won the pin shot on the third hole and Foss took the pin shot on the eighth hole. Had either player made the close-range birdie putt, he would have won enough money to overtake the season long lead. But neither did. Both players also had birdie putts on the ninth green — the final hole of the season — and again a make would have won the Cup. But neither player converted.
In the end, Steve Blackburn, Jr. of Willowick held on and won the 2008 Greater Cleveland Skins Game Championship. Blackburn Jr. took home $1,318 for the season with 8 skins and 3 pin shots. Blackburn was awarded “The Thompson Cup” after the round, his second in the last three seasons.
Thursday’s final “Double Down” Skins Night at Pleasant Hills had some big winners: Steve Blackburn Sr. earned one skin with a birdie on #1, and Rob Shustrich earned the other with a birdie on #4. The skins paid $247.50 each.
Pin shot winners were John Niedzialek on #3, Geoff Nicely on #5, and Mark Foss on # 8, worth $55.00 each.
Shustrich’s big night moved him all the way up to fourth place, and Blackburn Sr. moved to the eighth position in the final standings.
After the round, Blackburn Jr. stated, “My hot play in the beginning of the season gave me enough momentum to hang on to the lead and allow me to take home the Thompson Cup again.”
Skins Game Director John Niedzialek added, “Hats off to Steve Jr.; it was great to come down to the last night with a chance to win it all and compete with all these great payers from the region. A big thanks to all six courses that hosted the Greater Cleveland Skins Game this year, with many of them offering reduced rate sponsorships for the players. And thanks to Northeast Ohio Golf for posting the weekly results on the website all season long.”
Mark Foss summed it up with, “Every season, the Greater Cleveland Skins Game gets better and the competition gets tougher. I enjoyed this season and look forward to 2009.”
The 2008 Greater Cleveland Skins Game events were played at Pleasant Hills, Fowlers Mill, Thunder Hill, Chardon Lakes, Powderhorn, and Little Mountain. Over $12,000 was paid out in prize funds this year.
. . . . .
FINAL RESULTS: 2008 Greater Cleveland Skins Game Leaderboard
| Pos) Player Name | Total | Skins | Pin Shots |
| 1) Steve Blackburn Jr | $1,318.17 | 8 | 3 |
| 2) John Niedzialek | $1,226.81 | 9 | 6 |
| 3) Mark Foss | $1,181.34 | 7 | 1 |
| 4) Rob Schustrich | $946.63 | 6 | 1 |
| 5) Paul Kish | $817.80 | 8 | 5 |
| 6) Mike Angie | $706.17 | 8 | 6 |
| 7) Geoff Nicely | $681.33 | 4 | 5 |
| 8) Steve Blackburn Sr. | $645.00 | 4 | 3 |
| 9) John Distefano | $431.80 | 5 | 3 |
| 10) Nick Anagnost | $429.33 | 2 | |
| 11) Joe Tasca | $386.90 | 3 | 2 |
| 12) Ryan Stefanski | $345.00 | 1 | |
| 13) Dave Sotka | $340.33 | 2 | 2 |
| 14) Al Freeman | $316.00 | 1 | 1 |
| 15) George Martin | $268.20 | 2 | 3 |
| 16) Brian McGinty | $264.50 | 2 | |
| 17) Anthony Maenza | $224.20 | 1 | 3 |
| 18) Russ Rybka | $201.00 | 1 | 1 |
| 19) Phil Bojc | $180.50 | 1 | |
| 20) Corey Iacofano | $168.66 | 1 | |
| 21) Garry Zehe | $166.50 | 1 | 1 |
| 22) Jim Lebzelter | $151.83 | 1 | 1 |
| 23) Josh Krause | $144.83 | 1 | 1 |
| 24) Dan Lanese | $136.50 | 3 | |
| 25) Bob Delcocco | $99.66 | 1 | |
| 26) Jeff Ettinger | $84.00 | 1 | |
| 27) John Zook | $77.00 | 1 | |
| 28) Tom Evans | $74.64 | 1 | 1 |
| 29) Clint Paxson | $45.50 | 1 | |
| 30) Tom Bond | $45.50 | 1 | |
| 31) Cliff Lawrence | $36.00 | 1 | |
| 32) Ron Rositani | $33.00 | 1 | |
| 33) Matt White | $33.00 | 1 |
— Allen Freeman & John Niedzialek
