-Ottawa Champion Golfer Bests Field That Includes U.S Collegiate Stars-
Gananoque, Ontario, May 31 – The very first Smuggler’s Shootout hosted by the Smuggler’s Glen Golf Course and sponsored by Flagstick Golf Magazine finished up today and Allen McGee of Ottawa became the event’s first victor. The two-time defending Ottawa Valley Golf Association City & District Champion topped the field with a two day total of 144, 2 over par.
The elite amateur event saw a stellar field take to the golf course on two days marked by unsettled weather, high winds, and varying forms of precipitation ranging from rain to hail. Despite this the players posted some solid scores in conditions that intermittently looked more like Scotland than the shores of the St. Lawrence River.
Through day one of the championship McGee was tied at even par, 71, with North Carolina State Wolfpack’s Brad Revell of Kingston. Also in the mix in the final grouping was Peter Sauerbrei who posted a 72 on day one. Sauerbrei just completed his final year at Eastern Michigan University and will be travelling to England for the next two weeks to compete in the St. Andrew’s Link Trust competition and the British Amateur.
Through eleven holes on day two the match was pretty much neck and neck between the leading contenders. It took the 12th hole, a 259 yard par four known as “The Gambler” to provide a little separation. It was there that Revell recorded a double bogey for the 2nd day in a row and McGee made a spectacular eagle to create a lead of several strokes.
Unfortunately for McGee he would bogey the next three holes before Revell handed back a comfortable lead after a bogey on 17th. The match came down to the pivotal final hole, a 608 yard monster par five where a crowd waited for the final grouping.
Needing to make a move Revell knocked his second shot across the lake that fronts the green and through the putting surface. McGee responded with a three-shot play to the green that left him a comfortable 12 foot uphill birdie putt. Revell had a chance to tie McGee, at least temporarily, with an eagle but he could not convert his chip and had to settle for eagle.
McGee then had to two putt for the win but took dead aim and made the birdie for a well-earned victory.
“To be the first winner of this event is fantastic, especially to do it on a course like this, in these conditions, against this level of golfers. I knew the field was not real big (there were 50 players) but when I saw all the college golfers that were playing I knew I would really have to play some good golf to win,” an elated McGee said after the trophy presentation.
As for the trying conditions that made the golf course play exceptionally difficult McGee said he simply stuck with his plan no matter what. “I decided at the start of the year to take more of an Ernie Els mentality and just play without as much emotion as possible; to not get upset when things went wrong or get too excited when I made birdies. Guys like Brad and Pete are amazing players but I had to focus on just playing golf and not worry about what they were doing.”
McGee says that strategy carried him to 18 when he realized he might have to react to Revell’s play if the young golfer happened to get in position to make an eagle. When that did not look like a simple possibility McGee played the 18th in textbook fashion and got the win he was looking for.
“This has been a great tournament – the golf course staff did a tremendous job and all the golfers really appreciate what Flagstick does for golfers in the region, especially with starting a new event like this. I am looking forward to coming back to defend.”
In other flight action Richard Wilson of Ogdensburg tore to the top of the B Flight leaderboard on day two with a wild ride on his front nine. In the stretch of holes three through eight the St. Lawrence University Golf Club member posted four birdies on his way to a 37. He coupled that with a back nine 42 for a 79 total. In conjunction with his first round of 87 it earned him the division title by five strokes. Trailing Wilson was Shawn Selleck of Brockville, followed by Eric Lockhart of Kingston in 3rd place. Fourth place went to Mike Paquette.
In C Flight Bob Korim of Ottawa’s Camelot Golf & Country Club got off to a hot start in round one with a solid score of 80 and followed it up with an 88. His 168 total was enough for a seven stroke victory over Dan Martin. Jeff Moulton finished in third with a two round total of 176 followed by Joe McLean in fourth at 177.
Additional event highlights include two hole in ones in round two, one by Dan Geran on the 8th hole and an ace by Tom Boyce on hole #10.
“It was a tremendous first Smuggler’s Shootout,” exclaimed Flagstick Publisher Jeff Bauder Despite the weather, which was challenging at times, the players expressed just how much they enjoyed the entire atmosphere of the championship. All the staff and volunteers at Smuggler’s Glen did a phenomenal job and we look forward to crowning the second champion in 2010.”
See a complete recap of the event including photos in the July issue of Flagstick.
