Ty Kovach Roars to Impressive Victory in 2010 Chippewa Championship

Ty Kovach of Medina played a spectacular round of golf in the most difficult of setups and conditions on Sunday to win the 2010 Chippewa Championship in convincing fashion.

Kovach posted a sterling even par 71 in windy conditions (and with those hole locations!) to win by three shots over perennial champion David Oates of Canton.

Kovach, Oates and Fred Miller of Aurora all turned the front nine at 1-over par 36, and it looked like a shootout would play out on the back nine with Oates one shot in front heading into the 10th hole. First-round leader Kenny Koprivec struggled on the front side and wasn’t a factor after that.

Kovach birdied the par-5 10th to pull into a tie with Oates. All three players made par on 11.

But then the big swing of the tournament took place on the long par-3 12th. Playing 183-yards with the wind howling from the left and the pin tucked into the tiny corner that runs off the right side of the green, Kovach struck a six-iron to eight feet pin-high left of the hole, while Miller and Oates both pulled their shots left of the green to face the run-away chip shot. A couple of tough chips and putts later, and both Miller and Oates made bogey. But Kovach converted the 8-footer for birdie, taking advantage of a huge two shot swing — and a lead that he would never relinquish.

Pars for all three players on the 13th, and it was on to the Chippewa Triangle, where the tournament is always decided.

Oates bogeyed the start of the Triangle at 14, but recovered with two good pars after that.

Miller struggled mightily in the Triangle, in essence shooting himself out of the event with a triple-bogey on 15 and a double-bogey on 16.

But Kovach solidified his lead position with three straight pars in the Triangle, an impressive display of precision and control.

Oates made the finish interesting on the par-3 17th, as he stuck his tee shot to six feet, just on the back right fringe. Kovach was about 20 feet below the hole and made a solid two-putt. But Oates missed the birdie effort, leaving a three shot lead for Kovach going into the stretched-out 18th hole.

Kovach played a solid final hole making a routine bogey-5 on the monster down-hill-and-into-the-wind 543-yard par-4. A solid drive, a three iron short of the green, a simple chip below the hole and two putts, and the Championship was his.

Randy Skorman posted a solid 73 in his second round — which included birdies at 15 and 16 in the Triangle — to make his way into a solo third place finish. Tommy Li finished alone in fourth place, while Dean Cutlip and Jim Cea tied for fifth. 107 players completed the two rounds of play.

Seven Big Skins were won on the tournament worth $671 each:

Saturday:
Dave Oates Birdie #5
John Kabasky Birdie #18

Sunday:
Doug Fleming Birdie #4
Jim Calabria Birdie #5
Chris Trudell Eagle #7
Howard Weaver Birdie #14
Randy Skorman Birdie #15

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Senior Skins were worth $48 ea:

Saturday:
Breen, Kevin #1  Score:  3
Richards, Bill #2  Score:  2
Smith, Rick #3  Score:  3
Brooker, Jerry #9  Score:  3
Beck, Bob #11  Score:  3
Stiller, Tom #16  Score:  3

Sunday:
Richards, Bill #1  Score:  3
Brooker, Jerry #4  Score:  3
Stack, Tom #6  Score:  2
Schultz, Carl #8  Score:  3
Chapple, Dave #9  Score:  3
Skorman, Randy #10  Score:  4
Weaver, Howard #14  Score:  3
Skorman, Randy #15  Score:  3
Smith, Rick #18  Score:  4

As always, a special thank you to Kevin Larizza for the fantastic event, great food, prizes and all the “extras.” And a big thank you to Dave Chapple for the scoreboard and all the outstanding chef work!

FINAL RESULTS: 2010 Chippewa Championship
Chippewa Golf Club, Doylestown, Ohio – Par 71
Saturday and Sunday, August 21 – 22, 2010

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