The DSGA Annual Award is presented each year to an individual for their outstanding achievement and contributions to the game of golf in the state of Delaware. The 2010 honoree has achieved a lot and contributed a lot to the game of golf in Delaware over the last 40 years. He is a close personal friend who I have played a lot of golf with over the years and is a friend to anyone associated with golf in Delaware. He has shown a strong love, enjoyment and commitment to golf throughout his lifetime.

Like many others, Curt started in the game of golf as a caddie at 11 years of age at Rock Manor Golf Course in the late 1950's. He started playing golf on Monday's which were caddie days when regular caddies could play for free at the Rock. Soon his days were consumed with golf when he would caddie in the morning and then play in the afternoons in the junior golf program at DuPont CC. He quickly learned the game and became an excellent player in his own right. Back in those days Curt was known for his short game as an outstanding chipper, bunker player and putter. He played on the Salesianum School golf team for three years and captained the 1962 team that went undefeated with a 10-0 record. That summer he qualified for the National Jaycee Junior Insurance Championship held in Huntingdon, West Virginia. Over the years he has won club championships at Rock Manor Golf Course, Kings Creek Country Club and Rehobeth Beach Country Club and has several top ten finishes in our state amateur championship.

Curt became the DSGA club delegate and committee member while a member at Rock Manor and this was the start of a career which helped transform golf in Delaware. Back in the late 1980's a scandal caused significant financial stress on the DSGA when the secretary/treasurer admitted to embezzling funds from the organization. It was at this point that the Board asked Curt to assume executive director responsibilities in an effort to right the ship going forward and provide professional leadership. He brought the DSGA out of the middle ages and into the 21 st century. Over the next 15 years, under his leadership the DSGA opened a stand alone office, more than doubled in size and became a full service golf association. Some of those services included providing an upgraded and expanded tournament schedule for players of all abilities (both gross and net); a handicap system (Golfnet) which provided additional funding was adopted by the organization; a course rating committee was organized and educated to rate courses in Delaware; rules seminars were conducted and attended to strengthen knowledge in the sometimes complicated rules that govern golf; sponsorships were obtained to help strengthen the financial position of the DSGA; the website was established to improve communication and promote activities including on-line entries into tournaments; the DSGA further committed to and supported the Scholarship Fund to help educate our junior golfers; our relationship with the USGA was strengthened and solidified by participating in regional and national USGA meetings; and the overall professionalism and respect of the DSGA improved tremendously.

To those of us who enjoy the competitive environment that the DSGA offers each year as well as the other services made available to us and the member clubs, we owe Curt Riley a debt of gratitude. Our Annual Award recipient has served on the Board of Directors at Rehobeth Beach Country Club for the last 8 years and is currently Vice President of the club.
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GOLF ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO
August 10, 2010
 
Washington Metropolitan Golf Association Captures 2010 Williamson Cup
 
LaSalle (Windsor), Ontario - Building off the sizzling performances of Denny McCarthy and Jordan Sweet in the opening round, the Washington Metropolitan Golf Association captured the 2010 Williamson Cup at historic Essex Golf and Country Club in LaSalle, Ontario.

The prestigious annual event featured teams of four golfers representing ten different golf associations from eastern Canada and the United States . The 47th playing of the event on Tuesday marked the first time Ontario has hosted the event since 1999, and the first time the one day tournament has been contested at Essex .

The team from Washington Metropolitan, based in Washington , D.C. , dominated the 36-hole competition to finish 25 under par, a full 24 strokes ahead of second place Syracuse District Golf Association.

Washington 's McCarthy and teammate Sweet propelled their team into the early lead, firing an eight-under 63 and a 66 respectively. McCarthy added a 65 in his afternoon performance to close out the tournament at 14-under par for 36 holes.

McCarthy, a resident of Burtonsville , Md. becomes only the second player in Williamson Cup history to earn back-to-back individual medalist honours, and his first round 63 becomes a new tournament record.

"I played a mistake free round this morning and knew a low score was possible if I kept hitting the fairways," said McCarthy, who recently won the U.S. Junior PGA Championship. "It's pretty awesome to know that only one other person has won (the individual title) twice."

McCarthy knocked in sixteen birdies over 36 holes, and a double bogey on the par-4 first hole was the only blemish on his tournament scorecard.

Next for the 17 year-old will be an appearance at his second U.S. Amateur Championship later this month, followed by the Junior Ryder Cup in September hosted by Gleneagles in Scotland .

Sweet earns individual runner-up honours with a total score of 135 (66-69). Also part of the winning foursome from Washington was Keegan Boone (70-67), and Bart George (72-76).

"I'm so tremendously proud of how the boys played today," said Washington Metropolitan Golf Association President Mike Yanhko. "Any other year, Jordan (Sweet) would have won with the scores he posted, but Denny's play was just outstanding."

Washington will now have the honour of hosting the 2011 Williamson Cup, to be contested at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase , Maryland .

The foursome representing the Golf Association of Ontario finished in fifth place overall with a team score of 432, six over par. The team was lead by St. Catharines resident Brad Burgess, who finished fifth in the individual competition after posting a second round 66. Also representing Ontario was Tyler Stone of Peterborough , Daniel Wilson of Stratford , and Jamie Parsons of Barrie .

First played in 1964, the Williamson Cup is an annual one-day, 36-hole stroke play competition. Players are houseguests of host club members, and family and social activities are designed play a large part in the Williamson Cup experience. As a result, long lasting national and international friendships have developed over the years between Williamson Cup players and host families.

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Onesi wins DSGA Open

Late birdies give final edge over Gray, Tobiason

By BRAD MYERS • The News Journal • August 4, 2010

WYOMING -- Eric Onesi started his professional career with four consecutive missed cuts on the eGolf Tour in North Carolina .

But the Bear resident is now 1-for-1 as a pro in Delaware , as two late birdies Tuesday at Wild Quail Country Club propelled Onesi to a one-stroke victory in the Delaware State Golf Association Open Championship.

"It feels good. I was waiting for that jumpstart to my professional career, and I got it," said Onesi, who turned pro after graduating from Old Dominion University in May.

Onesi shot a 69 on Tuesday to complete three trips around the 6,803-yard layout in 12-under-par 204. Chris Gray finished second, with Michael Tobiason Jr. two strokes back in third, and Dave McNabb, Chris Krueger and Steve Cutler three back. Wilmington University golfer P.J. Tighe was the low amateur at 208.

Onesi eagled No. 1, but bogeyed Nos. 2 and 6. That gave the lead to Gray, who also eagled No. 1 and birdied No. 3 to get to 10 under for the tournament.

It was up for grabs from there, as McNabb, Krueger, Tobiason and Justin Martinson also reached 10 under during their rounds. At one point on the back nine, there were four players tied for the lead, playing in four different groups.

But Onesi broke out of the pack by getting up and down out of a bunker on the par-5 15th, sliding in a 10-foot birdie putt.

Then, after an indifferent approach on the par-4 16th, Onesi rolled a 30-footer firmly up the hill and watched it topple in, prompting an emphatic left-handed fist pump.

"I was hitting good putts all day that went by the side, and then I made that nice little 10-footer on 15 and it got me going," Onesi said. "The one on 16, I couldn't hit a putt any better. I was coming off a poor shot, but I stayed focused and stayed with the putting stroke I've been practicing all week, and it went in."

The birdie on 16 put Onesi at 12 under, but Gray had a 6-foot birdie putt to tie for the lead on the 18th hole. He missed, and Onesi came home with two easy pars for the victory.

"Five [under] was my number for today, because I thought 12 [under] for the week would win it. I just came up one short," Gray said. "I knew that last putt was for birdie and it would get me to my number, but I just hit a bad putt there. Nothing you can do about it."

Gray is originally from Dover , but now works as an assistant pro at Old York Country Club in Chesterfield , N.J. The sting of missing the putt on 18 was quickly softened when his 2-year-old daughter, Jordan, greeted him at the edge of the green.

"That's the best. Obviously, you'd love to win a golf tournament, but seeing these little ones changes you," said Gray, who has qualified for PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour events in the past. "This is the first time she's been able to come out and see me at the golf course, so I'm happy about that."

Onesi flew to Mississippi on Tuesday night to play in a Hooters Tour event, a flight undoubtedly made more pleasant by his first professional victory.

"It's a boost, definitely," he said. "The putts weren't going in early, but I stuck with it and they went in later."

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The Four Ball Net was played at Newark CC on July 28th. This was the third qualifying tournament for the Four Ball Final which will be played at The Peninsula on September 22nd. This was the 2nd year in a row that this event had full field, with 156 participants and 6 flights. Fortunately, the 2010 summer heat wave broke for those who teed off in the morning, it was slightly less humid and not quite at the 100 degree mark. Unfortunately for those who teed off in the afternoon, the humidity returned. The DSGA's new check point policy for pace of play seems to be working because no one was penalize and everyone finished within 4 hours and 10 minutes, some even earlier! The participants seemed to enjoy the golf course, most teams finished with a net score under par!

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UD's Justin Martinson nabs DSGA title

By CHRIS BRANCH • The News Journal • July 15, 2010

GREENVILLE -- A third bout of rain nearly felled the Delaware State Golf Association's Amateur Championship on Wednesday, along with Justin Martinson's title hopes.

Neither happened.

Martinson, unfazed by near-monsoon conditions and a five-hour delay, posted a blistering 67 in the final round to nab the tournament championship at Wilmington Country Club's South Course.

The University of Delaware golfer fired birdies on Nos. 2, 3, 6, 14 and 16 en route to a four-stroke victory.

He only made one bogey.

"I came out swinging great this morning," Martinson said. "The break was just a little speed bump."

He wasn't exactly pacing during the break.

He wasn't exactly pacing during the break."I didn't do much," Martinson said. "I had half a cheesesteak, watched some TV and took a nap."

Kennett Square, Pa. , native Kyle Davis finished second at one over par overall for the tournament.

"I left too many putts out there," Davis said. "It kind of deflated the round a little bit."

Anthony Apostolico, the leader after 54 holes, shot a 74 to slide into third place at two over par.

"I'm very disappointed," Apostolico said. "Everybody comes here to win."

Putting seemed to plague Apostolico's round much like it did Davis '.

"I just couldn't make any putts like I did [Tuesday]," Apostolico said. "It put some pressure on some other parts of my game."

Martinson entered the final round two shots back of Apostolico after carding a 75 and a 73 in rounds two and three, respectively.

"I came out feeling like I had a lot of work to do," he said. "I got the job done."

A torrid 33 on the front nine set the pace for Martinson. At one point, all three golfers -- Martinson, Apostolico and Davis -- were knotted at one under par.

As Apostolico and Davis stumbled heading into the turn, Martinson steadied himself.

"I guess I kind of lost my concentration there," Apostolico said.

A washout would have benefited Apostolico. Play was halted around 12:30 p.m.

Martinson had surged to one under par at that time. Apostolico was two over par and Davis was one over par.

Delaware State Golf Association executive director Bill Barrow said if play could not have resumed Wednesday, the winner would be the 54-hole leader, meaning Apostolico would have been crowned champion.

Martinson, who was the runner up in last year's competition, won't take much of a break. He'll head to Old York Road Invitational tournament in Philadelphia on Friday.

Bill Jeremiah and Chase Brockstedt finished in a tie for fourth place at six over par. Tim Freeh finished in sole possession of fifth place at seven over par.

Steve Walton posted a 68, the second lowest round of the day, to tie for seventh place with Christopher Hickman at 10 over par.

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Hickman adds a little drama to DSGA Junior Boys repeat

By MIKE FINNEY • The News Journal • July 2, 2010
DOVER -- Chris Hickman began Thursday's final round of the Delaware State Golf Association's Junior Boys Championship with a comfortable five-stroke lead. But after faltering early, he came back on the back nine to force a two-hole playoff where he defeated Andrew Baldo and earned his second straight title at Maple Dale Country Club.

It was an interesting two days for Hickman, a 16-year-old who plays out of Chester River and Wild Quail golf clubs.

"I had an eight on [No.] 4, I had tons of three-putts," said Hickman. "For a moment, I was 10-over par and I thought I was completely out of it, but then I kind of came back and on the back nine and I went two-under."

Hickman posted cards of 67-79 for a total of 146 while Baldo turned in scores of 72-74--146 from the 6,277-yard white tees.

Both golfers parred the first playoff hole, No. 16, a par three.

Then Baldo stumbled on the second playoff hole, No. 17, the same one where he lost a playoff to Concord High's Matt DiEleuterio last month in the final round of the DIAA Delaware High School Golf Championship.

Meanwhile, Hickman calmly parred the 338-yard, par-4 hole to defend his championship.

"I hate that hole," said Baldo, 18, with a slight laugh. "It was a good match out there. It kind of went back and forth. He was up to start the day and I got up a couple and then he took it back.

"It's frustrating. I've had three seconds already this year and it kind of stinks, but I'm getting close."

For Hickman, it was the second straight year he won the DSGA Junior Boys Championship in a playoff.

"The playoff was killing me," said Hickman, of Chestertown, Md. "It was tough out there, especially having all of those people come out and watch you. ...

"It's really important for me to defend my title. I wanted to win really badly."

DuPont's Aaron Weiner finished third at 150, followed by the Wild Quail duo of Mason Mendoza (152) and Nino Rosal (153).

Age Group Winners:

12- 13 years old: Matt Smith, Wilmington CC.
*Ryan Rucinski, 13 years old competed for the Title and played from the White Tees. He finished 9th over-all.

14 year olds: Joshua Mohun, Baywood Greens GC. *Won in a playoff

15 year olds: Sean Carroll, Hartefeld National GC.

16 year olds: Matthew Yung, DuPont CC.

17 year olds: Aaron Weiner, DuPont CC.

18 year olds: Andrew Baldo, White Clay Creek CC.

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The Amateur Championship Qualifying tournament was held Monday July 12th, at Cavaliers CC in Newark. 116 participants vied for 45 spots into the Amateur Championship. The course played tough at approximately 6500 yards, and the weather played a factor with wind gust around 20 mph. The low Qualifier was Rand Mendez, Fieldstone GC, who shot a 3-under par 68. Aaron Burton, Ed Oliver GC, also had a great round and shot 1-under par 70. The low 45 qualifiers will compete in the Amateur Championship on Wilmington Country Club's South Course on July 12th. The low 36 and ties will make the cut to compete for the Title July 13th & 14th. 5 past Amateur Champions, 2 past Senior Amateur Champions, and 5 past Open Champions competing in the field.

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The Mid-Am and Senior Four Ball tournament was held Wednesday June 16th, at Odessa National GC in Townsend. A full field of 136 players participated in 5 flights. The low 3 gross and 1 net won gift certificates to the Odessa National GC pro shop. This was the 2nd Four Ball Series event; you must play in 2 designated Four Ball Series events to be eligible to register to play the Four Ball Final which will be held at The Peninsula on September 22nd.

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The Golf gods smiled on us for this years Spring Classic! In the past we've had, rain, wind, cold weather, but this year you could not have asked for better conditions! 232 players participated in this two-day event held at Rehoboth Beach Country Club and Kings Creek Country Club in Rehoboth Beach. The teams were divided into 8 flights, with flights 1-4 and flights 5-8 playing the same course. Lester Albright of Brandywine CC, had a hole-in-one on the 15th hole on Rehoboth Beach Country Club.

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76 DSGA members participated in the 2010 Tee-Off Classic held at Deerfield Golf & Tennis Club on April 21st. This was the 5th year for this event, which replaced the Spring Warm-up. Teams played a Shamble format, in which each partner hits his tee shot, the team selects one tee shots and then each player plays their own ball from that point. Each team was required to use at least 6 tee shots from each partner.
The field consisted of 4 flights; both gross and net prizes were awarded in each flight.

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