Pedro Carrasco, from Blue Mash Golf Course, and George Suh, from the Timbers at Troy, were the first team to post a score and at the end, one of the winning teams, as the Maryland State Golf Association held its sixth One-Day event of the season at Argyle Country Club in Silver Spring, August 27.
There were 27 teams in two divisions, with Carrasco-Suh earning low net in play from the Back tees with 45 points in the Stableford format (1 for bogey, 2 for par, 3 for birdie and 4 for eagle), and Chris Burns, from Glenn Dale GC, and Randy Grooman, from Hampshire Greens GC, collecting low net from the Forward tees with 44 points.
Holes No. 3 and No.9 were moved up because of course maintenance, with the Back playing at 5,827 yards and the Front at 5,517 yards.
Carrasco and Suh each had a net-eagle to highlight their round, that also showed nine pars, six birdies, and one bogey. One point behind in second place was the pairing of Al Aldana, from Redgate GC, and Cesar Rodas, from Richland GC, who had a natural birdie (Aldana), a bogey, and seven pars on the front, then turned torrid on the back with eight successive birdies (three natural) before closing it out with a par-4 from Aldana.
Ron Thomas, from Old South CC, a frequent competitor in the series, who — with David Reynolds — won low gross in a modified Chapman/Pinehurst event at Rolling Road and a second gross in a Crofton 4-Ball, showed he and partner Kevin Burch, from GC at South River (the last team to enter), could handle another kind of format, as they won low gross with 39 points. They had 4 birdies, 13 pars, including the first eight on the front nine, and one bogey.
The Mountain Branch GC entry of Josh Campbell-Jeff Wunk, earned second gross with 35 points, featuring 14 pars.
From the Forward tees, Chris Burns and Randy Grooman, in their fourth event of the season after winning low net at Prospect Bay GC with 58, were trailed by Ralph Swartwood, University of Maryland GC, and Jim Atkinson, MSGA eClub, 43 points, and Tim Benas-Jim Littlefield, Blue Mash GC, 41 points.
The gross leaders from the Forward tees were Ralph Vanni-Bob Stark, Breton Bay G&CC, coming home in the next-to-last group with 35 points. A match of cards gave Terry Conrad, University of Maryland, and Joe Skerpon, CC at Woodmore, second place, and Jonathan Mann, Beaver Creek CC, and Terry Sturner, Manor CC, third, after both totaled 32 points.
The final event of the season will be a modified Chapman/Pinehurst format September 28, at Hillendale Country Club in northern Baltimore County.
Reported by John Stewart
Men’s – Back
1st Net – Pedro Carrasco-George Suh
1st Gross – Ron Thomas-Kevin Burch
2nd Net – Al Aldana-Cesar Rodas
2nd Gross – Josh Campbell-Jeff Wunk
Men’s – Forward
1st Net – Christopher Burns-Randall Grooman
1st Gross – Bob Stark-Ralph Vanni
2nd Net – Jim Atkinson-Ralph Swartwood
2nd Gross – Terry Conrad-Joe Skerpon
3rd Net – Tim Benas-Jim Littlefield
3rd Gross – Jonathan Mann-Terry Sturner
Back Tees (5827 Yards) 68.0, 122
Forward Tees (6031 Yards) 66.4, 117
