By Greg Gulas
The Greatest Golfer
POLAND – For the sixth straight year and eighth time in the past nine summers, Brandon Pluchinsky has dodged the field’s best to win the Greatest Golfer championship.
Pluchinsky shot 70 on Sunday at his home course, The Lake Club, for a 54-hole total 207 to defeat Garrett Frank by six strokes and win the 15th Annual Farmers National Bank Greatest Golfer Tournament.
A total of 360 golfers signed up for this year’s field, which was the largest ever in Greatest tournament history.
For Pluchinsky, winning the Duncan Kitchen and Bath men’s open division is a feeling of which he never tires.
“It definitely doesn’t get old,“ he said. “This year wasn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination. I probably made it harder on myself than I should have, simply because I wasn’t focused on a few of my shots. I made some nice putts, shots that I needed to make to keep it going.”
Josh Zarlenga, who wasn’t even in the top six to start the day, fired a 68 and finished with 216 for the three-day tourney to finish in third-place, nine shots off the pace.
Kiersten Klekner-Alt, who was three strokes behind leader Matilyn Zines after Friday’s first-round, took a two-stroke lead over Katie Rankin heading into Sunday’s play then proceeded to fire a 71 to capture the Roklyn DePerro Turner Law Ladies Open division.
It was Klekner-Alt’s third straight title.
“I made a couple birdies when I needed to and dropped a couple putts to maintain my lead,” added Klekner-Alt, also a Lake Club member. “It was a fun time, like always, with this year’s field highly competitive.”
Rankin shot 75 for 221 to finish runner-up, while Zines’ 79 placed her third at 229, 14 strokes behind the leader.
J.P. Jones, who started the day three strokes behind Greg Tisone, carded 73 for 229, three strokes better than Tisone and eight shots in front of Fred Gintert as he captured the B.G. Trucking Seniors Open Division.
Tisone carded 78 for 223 while Gintert shot 79 and was 228 overall.
“I played a steady round and that was the key,” stated Jones, who won the 2019 Men’s 3-6 division and finished runner-up in both 2022 and 2023. “I had a four-shot lead at the turn, saw it cut to two then made a couple nice shots to extend the lead.”
In the JAC Live Ladies Net division, Denise Gorski entered the day a stroke behind Carmel Cerimele, then proceeded to shoot net 67 for 206, seven shots better than Cerimele who carded a 75 on the day.
“This was just the second time that I played in the Greatest and I did not make it to Sunday the last time out, “ Gorski noted. “I shot 47 on the front-9 to start my round, felt a little pressure then calmed down to shoot 42 on the back. This event is wonderful for the entire Mahoning Valley and I will be back to defend my title. I was elated and just so happy to win today.”
Jason McDowell came from a stroke back at the start of the day to fire a 72, finishing with 218 to capture the Elias CPA Group Men’s 3-6 division.
Jake Detec also shot 72 to finish a stroke off the pace with Ryan Dogan’s 75 two strokes back in third-place at 220.
“This was only my second time playing this event and my first time, which was eight years ago, I failed to make the cut,” said McDowell, who hails from Edinburg, Pennsylvania and calls Tippecanoe Country Club his home course. “I just kept grinding and making putts when it mattered, which was a big help.”
Kevin Reddinger carded 78 for 228 to win the Avalon Downtown Pizza Men’s 7-9 division, four strokes ahead of A.J. Myers, who fired 79 on the day and five in front of Billy Loomis, who carded 80.
It was Reddinger’s first time playing in the event.
“The key for me was that I got off to a good start on Friday by firing a 73, shot 77 yesterday and closed with 78 today,” said the Elyria resident. “Those are my numbers and I try to maintain them. Also, I putted really well and had just one three-putt all weekend.”
Action in the M-7 Technologies Men’s 10-12 grouping had Brandon Oaks winning with a round of 79 and 237 overall, three strokes ahead of Jeff Mast who carded an 82 on the day.
It was Oaks’ second tournament appearance.
“I just stayed in my game,” Oaks stated. “I made the turn down one, executed some good shots and even some bad ones. I didn’t have a putter all weekend but today, limited my three-putts to just one time and that helped. I finished dead last on Sunday in 2023 so this is a much better feeling.”
Mark Brown fired an 86 for 245 and led all three rounds as he captured the Konkrete Dezign Men’s 13-15 division by six strokes over runner-up Deon Miller.
Miller carded a final round 81 on Sunday for 281 while Aaron Meyers finished third at 253 after posting 85 on Sunday.
“This is my third tournament and first win after finishing runner-up three years ago,” noted Brown, who hails from Boardman. “I made great recovery shots my first day and played with an excellent group today. When I needed to hit a shot, I did and that helped.”
Phil Eubank carded 85 for 257 to capture the Brokers Realty 16-19 division.
Lucien Clewell posted 93 for 259 to finish two strokes back, while Rance Garrett fired 91 to close six shots off the pace to make his trek from California worth the flight.
“I’ve played in 14 of the 15 tournaments, only missing the first one and made the cut 13 times,” said Eubank, who won the Men’s 13-16 division in 2015. “My girlfriend, Kim Wykoff and good friend Matt Moos of Golf Tech were my good luck charms today.”
J.T. Gorman, who has been runner-up the last five years, won the Maruca Law Group Men’s 20-25 division, carding 93 for a 274, three shots ahead of Garrett McIntyre, who fired a 92.
“The Lake Club is my home course and I love it here,” he added. “I had the lead and just needed to maintain it on Sunday, just not overdo anything. To win here is just so special to me.”
In the Titan Epoxy Men’s senior 3-6 division action, Dave Morgan of Turkana Golf Course fired 77 for 230 to finish seven strokes ahead of both Eugen Biser and Hank Morris.
It was Morgan’s second tournament appearance after being forced to withdraw last year.
“Making pars really helped,” the East Liverpool native stated. “My short game and putting saved several times today.”
Former Youngstown State baseball pitching standout, Bob Haseley, won his second tournament in three years as he authored a 78 and 226 total to capture the Mullen Insurance Solutions Men’s senior 7-9 division.
Haseley of Links at Firestone Farms finished seven strokes ahead of Jim Rosen, who posted an 82 for his final round.
“It was just steady play for me today,” Haseley noted. “My iron play and putting were excellent. I made some par saves, but felt like I was lights out with my 10-15 foot putts.”
Sam Carelly’s 85 and 239 total was three strokes in front of runner-up Jim Santini as he captured Grunau Fire Protection seniors 10-12 division laurels.
“This was just my second tournament and I missed the cut for Sunday’s round last year,” said Carelly, who calls home the Henry Stambaugh Course on Youngstown’s North Side. “The greens were a bit tricky for me, but I hit good tee shots, kept it in the fairway and gutted it out from there.
Peter Rich captured the Cole Valley Cadillac Seniors 13+ division by firing an 84 for 252 total, three strokes better than Mike Ritter, with Rich Perrine finishing four strokes behind the leaderboard.
“I missed seven two-foot putts on Friday and Saturday, but today was much better,” Rich added. “Today, my putting was much better.”
The finals have been hosted by The Lake Club since the event’s inception. Owned by the Muransky family, Ed Muransky accepted an honorary open trophy for the family for their offering to the Vallet community.
“This is the first golf trophy I ever received,” Ed told the crowd in accepting the event’s first trophy.