- photo by Paul Prentiss
VILLAGE OF PINEHURST, North Carolina (November 3, 2008) -- Play got underway today in the Inaugural amateurgolf.com Pinehurst Invitational Two Man, a unique Ryder Cup-style event that also includes 36 holes of best-ball stroke play competition. Today's round was played on Pinehurst No. 4, one of the two courses used in the U.S. Amateur qualifying rounds this past summer. No. 4, which opened for play in 1999 (after a complete makeover by architect Tom Fazio), has a mighty total of 180 bunkers, and shot values and green surrounds very similar to the U.S. Open course, Pinehurst No. 2.
Bridgestone Golf Product Marketing Manager Danny Le teamed up with Pete Wlodkowski of amateurgolf.com for a best-ball of 3-under 69 -- they paced "Team Fazio" in the team competition with 3 early points. Le found anything but bad luck on the 13th- he ran a three wood 2nd shot up to the water-guarded green and made a six foot putt for eagle three.
"Best 3-wood I've ever hit," said Le, who is enjoying the confusion of having a name that is almost exactly the same as 2008 U.S. Amateur Champion Danny Lee of New Zealand.
They were followed by Teammates Doug and Dan Potter, a father/son team that shot 1-under 71 and also won 3 points in their match.
In the Net Division, ham met egg when the brother team of Eric and Kevin Czarnecki fired a best-ball 62. It will be a family feud on Monday, as the red hot brothers play their father Jack, and his partner Jay Czarnecki for family honors.
Carl Everett of Havertown, PA and his partner Mike Miller of Knoxville, TN shot even par to lead the small senior division -- Everett made 16 straight pars, skillfully maneuvering the slick, firm No.4 greens with skills learned at his home course, Merion. Everett and Miller were responsible for half of Team Ross' points, Rick Friedman and Steve Warren of Indiana in the Net Division won the other 3.
Team Fazio finished the day with 12 points, Team Ross won a total of 6 points. All matches, interestingly enough, were clean sweeps in the front/nine/eighteen format where each counts for one point.
TOURNAMENT NOTES:
Players from around the U.S. are evenly divided between first time amateurgolf.com Tournament Series players and veterans of our other travel events to Kiawah Island and Bandon Dunes. Presenting Sponsor Bridgestone Golf is joined by UST Golf Shaft in sending representatives and providing prizes, and amateurgolf.com Media partner Travel + Leisure Golf Magazine and Patron Tequila hosted the Saturday welcome party.
First round results follow:
| CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION |
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| First |
Last |
City |
State |
Team |
Team No. |
Points |
Rd1 |
| Pete |
Wlodkowski |
Carlsbad |
CA |
Fazio |
Champ02 |
3 |
69 |
| Danny |
Le |
Covington |
GA |
Fazio |
Champ02 |
|
|
| Doug |
Potter |
Coeur dAlene |
ID |
Fazio |
Champ03 |
3 |
71 |
| Dan |
Potter |
Irvine |
CA |
Fazio |
Champ03 |
|
|
| Jeffrey |
Powers |
Haymarket |
VA |
Ross |
Champ01 |
|
77 |
| Ray |
Skretteberg |
Winter Garden |
FL |
Ross |
Champ01 |
|
|
| Jamie |
Pipes |
Fort Worth |
TX |
Ross |
Champ04 |
|
80 |
| Charles |
Birkhold |
Bedford |
TX |
Ross |
Champ04 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| NET DIVISION |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| First |
Last |
City |
State |
Team |
Team No. |
Points |
Rd1 |
| Eric |
Czarnecki |
Mt. Pleasant |
SC |
Fazio |
Net02 |
3 |
62 |
| Kevin |
Czarnecki |
Marlborough |
CT |
Fazio |
Net02 |
|
|
| Gary |
Meadors |
Jacksonville Beach |
FL |
Fazio |
Net01 |
3 |
68 |
| Roy |
Paxson |
Jacksonville Beach |
FL |
Fazio |
Net01 |
|
|
| Buddy |
Pitt |
Orangeville |
ON |
Ross |
Net06 |
|
69 |
| James |
Pybus |
Cobourg |
ON |
Ross |
Net06 |
|
|
| Jay |
Czarnecki |
New Hope |
PA |
Ross |
Net03 |
|
70 |
| Jack |
Czarnecki |
Sanibel |
FL |
Ross |
Net03 |
|
|
| Rick |
Friedman |
Newburg |
IN |
Ross |
Net04 |
|
72 |
| Steven |
Warren |
Newburgh |
IN |
Ross |
Net04 |
|
|
| Don |
Williams |
Monroe |
CT |
Fazio |
Net05 |
|
74 |
| Paul |
Williams |
White Rock |
BC |
Fazio |
Net05 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| SENIOR DIVISION |
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|
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| First |
Last |
City |
State |
Team |
Team No. |
Points |
Rd1 |
| Carl |
Everett |
Havertown |
PA |
Ross |
Senior01 |
3 |
72 |
| Michael |
Miller |
Knoxville |
TN |
Ross |
Senior01 |
|
|
| James |
Ford |
Euless |
TX |
Fazio |
Senior02 |
|
83 |
| Robert |
Harrison |
N. Richland Hills |
TX |
Fazio |
Senior02 |
|
|
TEAM COMPETITION SUMMARY:
Team Fazio: 12 Points
Team Ross: 6 Points
ABOUT THE
amateurgolf.com Pinehurst Invitational
The tournament is now full - to get on the waiting list, please call Trisha Williams at 408-406-2035.
(note, to print out a flyer on this tournament, click here>)
Join us in historic Pinehurst, North Carolina as we kick off an event we plan on becoming a regular part of our Tournament Series' "travel events" that now includes annual stops in Bandon Dunes, Oregon and Kiawah Island, South Carolina. We'll play the famed No. 2 course in the final round, and also No's. 4 and 6. We never promise perfect weather (it's golf, after all) but the Pinehurst area usually enjoys a warm, dry climate thanks to the sheltering Appalachian Mountains which stave the cold Midwestern winds. And temperatures should range in the 60's and 70's on the high side with lows in the 40's and 50's. We are playing both courses being used for the 2008 US Amateur, being played August 23-26.
Please see the registration page for package prices and details. All packages include:
(3) Nights lodging in either Carolina or Manor Inn (nights of Nov 1-2-3 with dept. on Nov. 4)
(3) Rounds of Golf including one round on No. 2
(3) Breakfasts
(1) Welcome Reception
(1)
Tournament Dinner
* plus: Tournament trophies and a nice tee gift from Cutter & Buck, prizes from Bridgestone Golf, Lamkin Grips, and UST Golf Shafts
* optional: Skins and Overall prize pool to be collected at the welcome reception
Format:
We'll play three days of two man best-ball (women's division if enough players) and break the field up into scratch, net, and by-age flights (e.g. Masters or Senior) based on number of players who register. We always have enough scratch players in these events, and expect a first year field of 36-48 players.
Teams:
You may register as a team (indicate your partner's name in the "comments" field when registering) or as an individual (if registering as an individual, please select one of the single occupancy lodging options only). Individuals will be paired by amateurgolf.com. Don't hesitate to register in this manner...you might make a lifelong friend!
Questions:
Contact Pete Wlodkowski at 760-929-9297 or go to the contact page on the website for email and mailing info. If you don't wish to register online, feel free to call to have your registration done over the phone.
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