8.30.10
This year’s NT and Majors have brought the drama better than the TNT network. Leading the cast in most of the battles is Dave Feldberg. Dave and teammate Matt Orum were a distant 7 strokes back from the leader, Locastro, with just 20 holes to play. Matt tore up the first ten holes (-9) to put the pressure on early. Feldberg shot 10 under on the last 10 holes to shave the lead down. But it was the final hole that ultimately decided the outcome.
Matt Orum had thrown an impressive drive on the 800+ foot hole with a tight island green surrounded by out-of-bounds. Nikko’s shot was headed for trouble but careened off a lift tower to set up for a routine up and down to the green. Feldberg’s drive headed off course and landed behind a building leaving him with a 450 foot upshot to the island green. Feldberg executed an amazing XCaliber shot that landed safely on the green, to the amazement of those in attendance. Locastro’s upshot landed out of bounds, and Matt Orum’s upshot was within ten feet. Locastro proceeded to miss a 15 foot putt to tie for the lead and set up a three way play off. Feldberg and Orum canned their putts to card a phenomenal round of 60, eight better than Locastro. On the first hole of sudden death, Feldberg’s drive came to rest nearly under the basket, while Orum’s 31 foot putt didn’t find the bottom of the basket. Feldberg wins his fourth National Tour event of the season in dramatic style.
Paul Ullibari, who at times this weekend held the lead, finished fourth, Avery Jenkins finished fifth, and Brian Schweberger made the trip from North Carolina to take sixth place. Valarie Jenkins took the women’s division title and Des Reading finished second, just 3 strokes back. Team Innova dominated the Masters as well with Jay Reading in first, Joe Mela in third, and Jim Myers sliding into the fifth position.
One final note of well wishes to Skylands Tournament Director Dan Doyle to get well.
Team Innova was well represented at the European Championships. Simon Lizotte lead the charge finishing in second place. Karl Johan Nybo, Markus Kallstrom, and Oscar Stenfelt finished third, fifth, and sixth – respectively.
The weekend’s B-tier wins included Will Schusterick at the Flying Pig Open, Derek Billings (Open) and Patrick Brown (Masters) at the Stafford Lake Pro-Am, and Courtney McCoy in Hotlanta. Paul McBeth gets twelve Benjamins and the win at the Sun Valley Open.
