With just one week to go, The Greater Cleveland Skins Game has a new — but familiar — name atop the leaderboard.
Steve Blackburn Jr. captured two skins and a pin shot on Thursday at Stonewater Golf Club to grab the season-long lead away from Mike Angie in their back-and-forth race.
The dramatics began on the 183-yard par-3 third hole, when Angie hit a nice tee shot and grabbed the pin shot there. But Blackburn Jr. made a long putt for birdie and Angie missed, giving Blackburn Jr. the skin he needed to take the lead.
Blackburn Jr. then took the pin shot on the sixth hole and followed that up with a birdie on the par-4 seventh hole to grab a second skin, for a total of $105.00 for the night.
Angie gained just $24.50 with his pin shot, so Blackburn now holds a $67.41 lead over Angie on the year.
Four skins total were earned on the evening, worth $40.25 each. The other skin came on pars: Phil Bojc parred the difficult second hole for a skin, and Mark Foss did the same on the long par-4 ninth hole.
This Thursday, October 15th is the season ending “Double Down” event and Trophy Presentation at Powderhorn GC in Madison, starting at 4 p.m. The stakes will be doubled to $60 per man, and the Thompson Cup will be filled with Champagne and ready for the winner to pop the cork. Green fee prizes for next year will be awarded to all participants. Please thank the course for providing our players the great $13 rate all year at Powerhorn, which is in excellent shape. Note that you must have played in two or more events to particpate in the season ending “Double Down event.” John Niedzialek, Skins Game Director invites all players to be present Thursday at the awards ceremony as we toast to the winner of the 2009 Greater Cleveland Skins Game Championship.
GREATER CLEVELAND SKINS GAME LEADERBOARD: WEEK 25
| Player Name | Total | Skins | Skins $ | Pins | Pins $ |
| Steve Blackburn Jr | $1,398.99 | 12 | $1,167.99 | 6 | $231.00 |
| Mike Angie | $1,331.58 | 8 | $1,118.58 | 6 | $213.00 |
| Rob Schustrich | $696.50 | 5 | $661.50 | 1 | $35.00 |
| Dave Sotka | $537.83 | 3 | $360.33 | 4 | $177.50 |
| Eddie Neer | $450.50 | 2 | $391.00 | 2 | $59.50 |
| Gary Zehe | $407.99 | 3 | $281.99 | 3 | $126.00 |
| Steve Blackburn Sr | $397.00 | 2 | $397.00 | ||
| George Martin | $388.66 | 2 | $280.16 | 2 | $108.50 |
| Joe Tasca | $388.50 | 3 | $336.00 | 1 | $52.50 |
| Scott Mackar | $375.00 | 2 | $273.00 | 3 | $102.00 |
| John Niedzialek | $351.50 | 2 | $123.50 | 7 | $228.00 |
| Mark Foss | $347.50 | 2 | $200.50 | 4 | $147.00 |
| Nick Anagnost | $322.50 | 2 | $207.00 | 3 | $115.50 |
| Sam Corabi | $316.50 | 2 | $235.00 | 2 | $81.50 |
| Paul Kish | $308.66 | 3 | $270.16 | 1 | $38.50 |
| Allen Freeman | $207.00 | 2 | $207.00 | ||
| Geoff Nicely | $122.66 | 1 | $122.66 | ||
| Jim Lebzelter | $111.66 | 1 | $76.66 | 1 | $35.00 |
| Tom Evans | $98.00 | 1 | $98.00 | ||
| Brian McCullough | $98.00 | 1 | $98.00 | ||
| Paul Kasper | $76.66 | 1 | $76.66 | ||
| Josh Krause | $63.00 | 1 | $63.00 | ||
| Bill Spears | $51.75 | 1 | $51.75 | ||
| Jarrod Dixon | $50.00 | 1 | $50.00 | ||
| Tom Herrmann | $49.00 | 1 | $49.00 | ||
| Russ Rybka | $45.50 | 1 | $45.50 | ||
| Joe DiDonato | $42.00 | 1 | $42.00 | ||
| Phil Bojc | $40.50 | 1 | $40.50 | ||
| Dave DeLong | $38.50 | 1 | $38.50 | ||
| Tim Linnnich | $37.50 | 1 | $37.50 | ||
| Anthony Marinelli | $37.50 | 1 | $37.50 |
