By
Tom Johnston, tjohnston@qconline.com
Steve Schwabe found himself in the left rough on the 18th hole at Short
Hills Country Club experiencing a bit of golf deja vu.
However, there was a twist.
On Saturday, Schwabe hit his first tee shot of the
Short Hills Country Club Amateur Tournament into the fairway pond on the left
and had to take a drop, leading to a bogey on the hole. On Sunday, 35 holes
later, Schwabe's tee shot on the final hole of the
event stayed dry, but left him with an eerily similar shot into the
kidney-shaped green guarded by water on the right.
``I hit the same club and pretty much knew how far right I couldn't go,''
said Schwabe, who hit a low, blistering 4-iron short
of the green and let it run to the back pin position. ``I just tried to get
something low and running.''
A two-putt from about 25-feet gave Schwabe the
victory -- his first 36-hole title since the inception of the organized amateur
tour in the Quad-Cities. He won the 2001 Highland Springs Amateur title when
torrential rain washed out the second day of that event.
With gray skies and cool temperatures, Schwabe
didn't need any rain this Sunday as he logged a 2-over 74 for a 145 two-day
total and a one-shot victory over Greg Rios. Finishing just ahead of Schwabe, Rios missed a 15-foot birdie putt that could have
tied him for the lead. Instead, he finished second for the second week in a row
after posting an even-par 72 for a 2-over 146 total.
Mike Jump (72--147), finished third. Chris Wilkins
posted the tournament's low round with a Sunday 3-under 69 that included six
birdies and three bogeys and tied Tom Miler for fourth at 148. Brian Soucinek and Tim Flaherty had identical 77-72 scores to tie
for sixth, one shot ahead of 2003 Short Hills Am champ Joe Irwin and Dean
Cavanaugh, who both carded 76-74.
For Schwabe, the victory -- secured with all pars
on the back nine -- was special for a couple of reasons. Not only does it allow
him to join the ranks of 36-hole champs on the National City Bank Amateur Tour,
but was also because his wife, Cherise, and young
daughter Emme were able to watch him put the
finishing touches on the victory.
``This feels real good,'' said the 40-year-old Rock Islander. ``I'm glad my
wife got to come out; she sacrifices a lot on weekends and trips we don't go on
because I want to play (in the NCB Am Tour events).''
But Schwabe and his family had to sweat out the
victory until the final putt as both Miler and Rios tried to position
themselves for the victory.
Playing together in the final threesome, Miler actually caught Schwabe for a share of the lead on the par-5 fourth hole
when his par topped the first of three Schwabe bogeys
in the front nine 38. Miler fell two back with bogeys on 11 and 13, but pulled
to within one -- along with Rios -- after a birdie on the par-5 17th. Miler
nearly had a share of the lead there when his chip shot skipped over the hole,
just missing eagle.
But Miler dumped his 8-iron approach shot to the 18th green from about 150
yards into the right pond.
``I hit it a little fat and knocked it in the water (Saturday) and did it
again today,'' said Miler. ``I didn't finish very good,
but I knew it was going to take a birdie to beat him after he put his second
shot on. It just wasn't a real good way to finish; not a very good shot. ... I
guess I just have that shot down.''
Rios, who finished second at the Clinton Riverboat Days event last week, had
his chances, too, in a round of two birdies and two bogeys.
``I had a couple of very makable birdie putts on
17 and 18 that I didn't make very good attempts at,'' said Rios, who left both
rolls short. ``There was a lot of break to them, but I didn't make a very good
effort at them.''
-- Seniors: Ron Rode's bogey on the 18th
hole Sunday allowed Bill Brewster to get in a playoff in the Senior Flight.
Brewster then took advantage, winning the playoff on the second hole.
Both players tied at 149 after 36 holes -- Brewster shooting a 3-over 75 and
Rode carding a 2-over 74.