County Golf: Hillibush, Kurzinsky capture 1st Hidden Birch Challenge
Flight winners from the inaugural Hidden Birch Challenge held Saturday-Sunday at White Birch Golf Course and Hidden Valley Golf Course are, from left: Dan Woznisky Sr. and Ken Reynolds, 1st Flight; and Randy Kurzinsky and Bobby Hillibush, Championship Flight.
FRIEDENSBURG — Bobby Hillibush and Randy Kurzinsky prevailed on the second playoff hole to capture the championship of the inaugural Hidden Birch Challenge held Saturday-Sunday at White Birch Golf Course and Hidden Valley Golf Course.
The event was sponsored by the Schuylkill County Amateur Golf Committee.
Nick Hand and Steve Rice carded a 13-under-par 56 in Saturday’s opening round of the 22-team, better-ball-of-partners tournament at White Birch Golf Course, Barnesville. The pair entered Sunday’s final round at Hidden Valley Golf Course near Friedensburg with a three-stroke lead over Ray Miske and Sean Misstishin (59) and a four-stroke advantage over Hillibush and Kurzinsky and the team of Dan Brown and Ethan Rader, which both shot 60.
Sunday, Hillibush and Kurzinsky collected 10 birdies and eight pars, birdieing Nos. 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 13, 15, 16 and 18 on Hidden Valley’s par-72 layout to finish with a 10-under 62 and a two-day total of 122. Hand and Rice recorded seven birdies en route to a 66 on Sunday, but bogeyed No. 18 to force a playoff.
The two teams both shot par on the first playoff hole, No. 18, before Hillibush and Kurzinsky won the title with a par on No. 17.
Brown and Rader (60-64–124) and the team of Chris Decker and Bailey Sophy (61-63–124) finished tied for third while Miske and Misstishin (59-67–126) placed fifth.
Ken Reynolds and Dan Woznisky Sr. won the 1st Flight title with a 62-73–135.
Hidden Birch Challenge
Final Scores
Championship Flight
Team (White Birch score–Hidden Valley score– Total)
Hillibush/Kurzinsky — 60-62—122 (won on 2nd playoff hole)
Hand/Rice — 56-66—122
Brown/Rader — 60-64—124
Decker/Sophy — 61-63—124
Miske/Misstishin — 59-67—126
Dietz/Dietz — 61-68—129
Laudeman/Morgan — 64-66—130
James/Orsulak — 65-67—132
Kaczmarczyk/Kurzinsky — 63-70–133
Barnes/Hart — 68-65—133
Kern/Kuczynski — 63-71—134
1st Flight
Reynolds/Woznisky Sr. — 62-73—135
Dougherty/Ebersole — 65-72—137
Felty/Reynolds — 68-75—143
Mangold/Stoneroad — 69-74—143
Dunn/Sorton — 69-75—144
Masser/Matlock — 67-78—145
Cryts/Yackenchick — 72-76—148
Barone/Gower — 71-78—149
Gouldner/Hunger — 71-79—150
Lurwick/Schoener — 76-81—157
Krammes/Koch — 80-86—166
Closest to the Pin
No. 6 — Sean Misstishin, 7 feet, 7 inches; No. 8 — Joe Orsulak, 2-1; No. 11 — Bobby Hillibush, 6-6; No. 17 — Kevin Masser, 23-1
Skins (Each paid $180)
No. 1 — Dunn/Sorton, eagle; No. 5 — Brown/Rader, eagle; No. 6 — Brown/Rader, birdie; No. 13 — Decker/Sophy, eagle; No. 18 — Kaczmarczyk/Woznisky, eagle
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