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Robin McCool rallies to win 2017 Lehigh Valley Senior Amateur Stroke Play Championship
March 26, 2018
Robin McCool rallies to win 2017 Lehigh Valley Senior Amateur Stroke Play Championship
BETHLEHEM TWP. — Two of the region’s top senior amateur golfers engaged in a “Dual in the Mist” Sunday afternoon at Green Pond Country Club.
When the matter was settled, just inches separated Robin McCool and Dominic Carr.
McCool, a 66-year-old resident of Upper Saucon Township, rallied twice during Sunday’s final round to overtake Carr and win the 24th annual Lehigh Valley Senior Amateur Medal Play Championship.
McCool, who also won the tournament in 2010, shot a final round 1-under-par 37-33–70 to finish atop the 36-hole event at 2-under-par 140.
Carr, a 57-year-old Lower Macungie Township resident, left his 20-foot sidehill birdie putt on the 18th green just three inches short of the cup. He finished in second place with a score of 69-72–141. Carr won the event in 2014.
Two players tied for third place at 76-70–146: Tom Mallouk and Dave Blichar. Mallouk won the tournament in 2006, while Blichar was the 1999 Lehigh Valley Amateur champion.
McCool and Carr played together in the occasional misty conditions. The two Lehigh Valley Golf Hall of Fame inductees engaged in an intense but friendly battle.
“I knew what I had to do,” said McCool, who has qualified for a regional-best 15 USGA national championship events. “I knew I had to shoot under par to have a chance. We’re friends. There isĀ mutual respect.”
Beginning Sunday’s final round with a one stroke lead over McCool and James Boburka of Bethlehem, Carr played even-par golf through seven holes to open up a three stroke lead over McCool at 2-under-par.
However, McCool sank a 4-foot birdie putt on the eighth green, then parred the ninth and tenth holes while Carr made a pair of bogeys to forge into a tie for the lead with Carr at even-par.
After both players made short birdie putts on the par-4 11th hole, McCool bogeyed the 12th hole to fall one stroke behind Carr.
Both golfers then birdied the par-4 13th hole, and parred the 14 hole.
McCool rallied past Carr when he sank a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-3 15th green to pull into a tie for the lead. Carr, who got a difficult lie after he laid up short of the green on the par-5 16th hole, chunked his chip shot and made a bogey to fall one stroke behind McCool.
McCool’s 6-iron tee shot on the par-3 17th hole came up short of the green, and he chipped 16 feet short of the cup. However, McCool sank a clutch par putt to maintain a one stroke lead entering the final hole.
“The turning point was on 17,” said McCool, a three-time Lehigh Valley Amateur champion. “I had to make that putt. I didn’t make that putt, and we are tied going into the final hole. And that was the hardest putt of the day.”
After McCool lipped out his 22-foot birdie putt attempt on the par-4 18th hole, Carr stroked his birdie putt carefully down a sidehill slope toward the center of the cup, but it came up just short of the hole.
For the final round, McCool and Carr hit 14 greens in regulation. McCool had 31 putts, while Carr had 33 putts.
With the victory, McCool has now won a regional career record 11 major senior amateur championships.
During his career, Carr has also won the 1994 and 1998 Lehigh Valley Amateur, 1999 Lehigh Valley Medal Play Championship, and the Lehigh Valley Tournament of Champions in 1994 and 2001.
24th annual Lehigh Valley Senior Amateur Medal Play Championship
Green Pond Country Club (par 71)
Final 36-hole scores:
1. Robin McCool 70-70-140 (2-under-par); 2. Dominic Carr 69-72-141; 3-T. Tom Mallouk 76-70-146, Dave Blichar 76-70-146; 5. Bob Beck 77-70-147; 6. James Boburka 70-78-148; 7. Jeff Hudson 78-72-150; 8-T. Ike Haluska 75-77-152, Ed Kluemper 74-78-152; 10-T. Chris Ortman 77-76-153, Jim Gleason 74-79-153, Tom Lusto 73-80-153; 13-T. Bob Schubach 80-74-154, Tom Egolf 76-78-154, Tom Soares 76-78-154; 16-T. Sal Picone 81-74-155, Bill Briggs 77-78-155, Ed Mesko 76-79-155; 19. Rich Kovacs 81-76-157; 20-T. Tom Stitt 78-81-159, Tommy Arnold 78-81-159, Alan Orchard 78-81-159; 23-T. Fred Lening 83-77-160, Mike Gontsky 80-80-160; 25-T. Rob Zampella 86-75-161, Andrew Lykon 83-78-161; 27. Rob Smith 81-81-162; 28. Elliot Sheftel 85-81-166; 29. Dennis Bednarski 88-79-167; 30-T. Rich Fryer 86-82-168, Scott Spence 84-84-168; 32. Joe Zelechoski 84-85-169; 33. Mike Reilly 88-86-174; 34. David Sweeney 89-90-179.
Age Group Winners:
50-55 — Dave Blichar
56-61 — Dominic Carr
62-67 — Robin McCool
68-and-over — Rich Kovacs
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