Wakefield Valley's Dave Bittner has started a collection of golf titles.
After winning the inaugural Carroll County Championship over his home course last year, Bittner opened the new season with a triumph in the club's two-man team event while paired with Mike Myers.
Now he has added Wakefield's stroke-play crown, winning the major 36-hole test with a 152 score.
Bittner had to overcome the pressure of Todd Eckenrode, the most titled golfer in Wakefield's history.
Mackie Pajak jumped to the first-round lead of the stroke-play event, but faded in the second half.
Then Charles Walker fell back after starting a challenge at the midway point.
By the time the championship reached the stretch run, however, it came down to a struggle between Bittner and Eckenrode.
Eckenrode, who was the stroke-play king in 1991 and 1992, squeezed out a one-stroke lead going to the 12th hole.
But, after trading holes on the final nine, Bittner had a one-stroke advantage going to No. 16.
This turned out to be the hole that decided the match. Both players faced 6-foot birdie chances.
Bittner made his and Eckenrode missed.
With Bittner now holding a commanding two-stroke lead, the pair halved the final holes with pars, clinching the title for Bittner.
Eckenrode finish second with a 154 total. Walker closed third with 156 and Pajak was third with 161.
Other flight winners of the club's stroke-play championship included Stan Wah, 164; Walter Jupitz, 174; Steve Slade, 176; and John Yu, 192. Mary Ann Zgorski won the women's division with 196.
Bear Creek
The club's first round of action in the match-play championship is under way.
Those already scoring first-round victories were Adam Fouse, Dale Peddicord, Steve Richardson, Bill Welsh, Mike Peters, Ken Barnhart and Jim Horne. Chris Connelly, the defending champion, faces Tom Myers this weekend.
* A field of 148 turned out at Bear Creek for the Valley Lions Tee Off for Sight tournament with a scramble format.
Leading teams were: 63-Mason Wilbur, Mark Ralles, Larry Costello and Sam Reed; 64-Steve Grochowski, Tom Hillegass, Fred Davis and Jim Gorsuch; 64-Mike Shockley, Al Shockley, Jim Rider and Bob Pachall.
* Winners in Bear Creek's couples league event were: Bob and Diane Blubaugh (33) and Eric and Diane Zoner (37).
* Points of captains in the club's industrial league are: Charles Richardson, 19; Pat Lynch, 18; Steve Ross, 17; Mike Zezzeski, 15; Rich Jones, 8, and Jeremy Long, 1.
Piney Branch
A two-man scratch and scramble tourney called for contestants to play one round with a captain's choice format and the second round at alternate shots.
Leading teams were: championship flight -- Bill Stricker and Bob Harry, 146; Bill Bossom and Bob Fishpaugh, 147; Dan Rask and Bob Devlin, 150; second flight -- Jack Schunk and Tom Dudderer, 160; Paul Staub and Charles Farley, 165; women's division -- Linda Myers and Nancy Gailey, 174, and Connie Henderson and Mary Beth Schmid, 175.
Oakmont Green
Jim Ostwitz scored a hole-in-one on the 175 sixth hole, using a five-iron. His prize was a gold putter.
* It was a poker golf week at Oakmont Green. The three winners were Dick Ely for holding a golf "four of a kind" round, Frank Tucker with a "straight," and Pat Hagan with a "highest hand" round. Their awards were free rounds of play at the course.
During the summer, George Taylor's golf column will appear every Friday, instead of Sunday.
