2011 Utica City-Am - Best-Ball
CLICK ADVERTISEMENT
                                                                                                      July 15
UTICA - Eighteen holes wasn't enough to decide the 2011 Utica City-Amateur
best-ball competition.

It took 21, as John Migliore and Rich Brooks parred the third-playoff hole (No.
8) to edge a game Chris Kutas and Tom Guca for the victory.

"I rode his back all day," Brooks said of his partner. "I think John shot 64 on
his own ball. Today it was all John."

Both teams were tied after regulation after posting 8-under-par 63s. They
began the playoff on the par-4 first hole and tied with pars. On the par-5 2nd,
things got considerably more dramatic as Migliore dropped in an 18-foot
eagle putt to putt the pressure on Kutas, who responded by calmly drilling his
8-foot putt for eagle.

The teams turned to the par-4 8th hole and Migliore and Brooks each found
the putting surface in regulation and made par, while both Kutas and Guca
faced tough chips and were unable to get up and down to extend the playoff.

The win was the first of any sort for Migliore or Brooks. They have both been
very close to winning the City-Am and hope that Friday's success can lead to
another title for one of them come Sunday evening as the sun sets on Valley
View Golf Club.

"It's about staying calm and playing your game," Migliore said. "I think the way
I played today can give me some momentum for this weekend."

Brooks, who admittedly didn't perform his best Friday, is hoping to get off to a
fast start Saturday.

"Just making the first couple of pars or making a 4-footer early is big," Brooks
said. "When I do that, I usually play well. But you just have to stay in it and
never count yourself out of it."

Dan Sullivan and Darren Woods shot 64 to finish third. Mark Jakubowicz and
his son, Joel, shot 66 to tie for fourth with Anthony Villanti and Bob Curri.

Two-time defending champions, Dave Hunter and Kevin Lojewski shot
4-under 67 to finish in a six-way tie for sixth.

The individual tournament begins Saturday with divisions for Open, Seniors
(50+), Super Seniors (62+) and Super Duper Seniors (70+). The finals for all
divisions will be held on Sunday morning with tee times beginning at 8:30 a.m.

PHOTO GALLERY

Two-Man Best-Ball (Top 10 Results)                    
  Team                                                                    Score
*1. Migliore / Brooks                                                              63
2. Kutas / Guca                                                                     63
3. Sullivan / Woods                                                               64
T4. Jakubowicz/Jakubowicz                                                  66
T4. Villanti / Curri                                                                  66
T6. Bushinger / Bushinger                                                    67
T6. DelMedico / Finegan                                                      67
T6. Lojewski / Hunter                                                            67
T6. Conley / LaGase                                                             67
T6. Slosek / Homer                                                               67
T6. Bello / Corey                                                                   67
* Won on third playoff hole
Migliore, Brooks
win Best-Ball title on
third hole of playoff
John Migliore (left) and Rich Brooks (right) pose for a photo after winning the
Utica City-Amateur Best-Ball Tournament on Friday at Valley View Golf
Course in Utica. Migliore and Brooks defeated Chris Kutas and Tom Guca on
the third playoff hole for the title. Both teams fired 8-under 63s in regulation.
Duo hopes success carries over to individual
stroke-play tournament beginning today at City-Am
Rich Brooks (above left) and John Migliore (above right) tee off on the par-5 2nd hole. They defeated Chris Kutas
(below left) and Tom Guca (below right) on the third playoff hole (No. 8).