The Invitational Shootout

Two-Person Scramble Charity Golf Event

2017 Invitational Notebook

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ron and mick

McDonnell/Mouw Win Grudge Match Over Boyle/Scanlon

There have been countless collapses over the course of 24 years in the Invitational Shootout, but perhaps none more epic than the performance of John Boyle and Tom Scanlon on Saturday at Water’s Edge. Tied after 15 holes in their match with Mickey McDonnell and Ron Mouw, Boyle and Scanlon posted scores of 12, 10 and 11 on the first, second and third holes at Water’s Edge.

Both teams shot three over par 39 on their first nine holes and were tied leading up to their 16th hole of the day, which was the par 5 first hole. McDonnell/Mouw carded a double bogey seven while their opponents somehow posted a 12. Even more inexplicable, Boyle and Scanlon finished with and 8 over par 11 on the 92-yard par three 3rd hole.

“It was a shocking finish to what was a close and compelling match for the first 15 holes” said Mick McDonnell. “John and Tom were playing well and giving us all we could handle and then all of a sudden, they just checked out.”

“I told Ron ‘I still haven’t found what I’m looking for’ with my swing. His response was ‘we’re going to win – with our without you’, so just continue to bullet the blue sky and hit your drives where the streets have no name”.

See the 2017 Invitational Shootout Final Results

Sennes

Senne’s Repeat for Super Legends Title

For a team with nothing left to prove, the Senne’s certainly don’t play like they’re lacking in motivation. Father and son duo Bob and Tom Senne captured their second consecutive Super Legends Championship, shooting an even par round of 72.

With a steady foundation built on finding the fairway with the drives of Bob Senne, son Tom was more than happy to hit a trifecta of amazing putts that were over 30 feet in length. Bob added to the spectacular shot making by nearly holing out from 125 yards on the 17th hole.

“I guess we’re used to grinding out the best score possible” said Tom Senne. “Some of the shots we hit today were ridiculous. There’s really no other way to describe them. But that’s just how we compete. When my dad hit the pin on 17, it was a tough break because that ball could have easily dropped. But I’m glad it didn’t hurt us and I’m really happy to bring home another Super Legends division title.”

LEN

Legends Return

After falling to Andy Bell and Seamus Ryan last year, Len Piersialla and Dan Ricci won the 2017 Invitational Shootout Legends Division Championship, two years after first winning in 2015. The team of Piersialla and Ricci have competed in every event since the Shootout came to Water’s Edge in 2006.

The come from behind victory on Saturday was a pleasant surprise for both team members. “If you would have asked me whether we could win the Legends Division Title after the first few holes, I would have laughed” said Len Piersialla. “We got off to a shaky start, but we stuck to our plan and found a way to get it done.”

“Wins don’t come easy at the Shootout” said Dan Ricci. “I’m just lucky to have a terrific partner who is willing to put it all on the line every year in the biggest two-person golf scramble in the Midwest”.

Howley and Shinkle Capture 2016 Invitational Shootout

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2016-SHOOTOUT-CHAMPIONSThe team of Mike Howley and Ray Shinkle proved there’s no substitute for experience on Saturday while posting seven birdies and overcoming the largest, most talented field in Tournament history to win the 2016 Invitational Shootout. 68 teams and 136 golfers were part of a record-setting turnout in support of the Ruddy Children Fund at Water’s Edge Golf Club on a mostly overcast afternoon in Worth, IL.

2016 Invitational Shootout Complete Summary

With nine current or former Champions in the field, Howley and Shinkle used a white-hot start to grab a quick lead which they ultimately never relinquished. The duo birdied their first hole, the 178-yard par three 7th, on the strength of a majestic 7-iron from Ray Shinkle that landed 12 feet from the cup.

Howley and Shinkle finished at seven under 65 to outlast two teams of former Champions by a single stroke – George Les/Paul Maolitsis and Rob Garcia/Billy Les. 2016 Champion Shane Hennessey-York finished two strokes behind the Champions.

Howley and Shinkle tallied five birdies in their first nine holes, for a score of 31, the second best front nine in Shootout history trailing only Hammer Hyland and Dave Neill‘s 30 in 2009. Mike and Ray would add two more birdies and seven pars on the back nine to post a seven under par 65.

SHINKLE-SWING-2016“Getting off to a solid start on hole number seven, which many consider to be the toughest on the course, was huge for our confidence” said Ray Shinkle. “I had new clubs in the bag this week and hitting that tee shot to within 12 feet definitely set the tone. I really want to thank the guys at Titleist for providing me with some amazing technology.”

“The plan today was to start fast and see if we could run away from the field” said Mike Howley. “We new the competition level out there today would be a huge challenge, so our goal was to push the pace and rely our experience in the heat of the battle over the final few holes. Thankfully our plan worked and I couldn’t be happier with our performance.”

The victory was the second for Howley, who also won the first Invitational Shootout contested at Water’s Edge in 2006. With the win, he becomes only the seventh player with multiple Shootout titles.

Capturing the 23rd edition of The Invitational Shootout was even more important for Ray Shinkle, who won the event in 2002 and 2003 at Maple Meadows Country Club. He now joins George Les as the only players in tournament history with three victories.

“Hats off to Ray for winning again after 13 years” said 2004 Champion Joe Hill. “Especially after losing the playoff in 2013, I think many people questioned whether he could do it again. To overcome a stacked field like this is truly indicative of what a great champion Ray has become.”

“For the past 10 years, the knock on Ray was that, unlike at Maple Meadows, he never could figure out how to score at Water’s Edge” said Mick McDonnell. “This victory proved that he could tame this challenging beast of a golf course under the bright lights of the biggest two-person scramble in the Midwest.”

“Here’s the thing about Mike and Ray… they know how to win” said John Eterno. “There are a lot of teams that come to The Shootout with incredible resumes including victories in college, amateur and even some professional tournaments. But they fall apart under the intense pressure of The Shootout. Howley and Shinkle use their experience better than just about any team out there to overcome everyone and everything they face.”

The 2016 Invitational Shootout Golf Pledge Drive

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Ruddy FamilySince 1994, the Invitational Shootout Charity Golf Tournament has brought together friends and family on the golf course to have fun and raise funds for charity. In 2016, we support one of our own.

On March 5, 2016 our friend Mike Ruddy passed away suddenly leaving his wife and three children. Mike was a happy, fun-loving guy who made friends easily and kept them for a lifetime. He was a man of integrity who loved his family and played in The Shootout multiple times.

This year The Invitational Shootout will benefit The Ruddy Children Fund as we play the game that Mike loved in his honor.

The 2016 Invitational Shootout in support of The Ruddy Children Fund

1PM Saturday, June 4, 2016 at Water’s Edge Golf Club in Worth, IL
Click here to register

Whether you play golf or not, EVERYONE can help support the cause by making a pledge donation. For golfers, the more pledges made in your name add up to great prizes for you. The person who raises the most funds will receive a 3-Night Las Vegas Vacation. All net proceeds will go to The Ruddy Children Fund.

  1. $100 raised – $25 Visa gift card
  2. $300 raised by a golfer, they get the Visa card AND get to play in the outing FREE
  3. $400 raised by a golfer they get the Visa card AND get to play in the outing FREE AND a Taylor-Made hybrid golf club
  4. $650 raised by a golfer they get the Visa card AND get to play in the outing FREE AND a Hybrid AND Omaha Filet steaks
  5. $1,000 raised by a golfer they get the Visa card AND get to play in the outing FREE AND a Hybrid AND Omaha Filet steaks AND a Taylor-Made driver
  6. Highest dollar amount over $4,000 you’ll get all the prizes AND a 3-night Las Vegas vacation for two including airfare and dinner at the famous Tropicana Steakhouse

Hennessy-York and Smith Drop The Hammer

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2015 ChampionsThroughout the history of the Invitational Shootout, every great team has been compared to the gold standard performance, which occurred in 2009 when Hammer Hyland and Dave Neill destroyed the field and rewrote the record books with what many consider the most dominating performance in Shootout history. That comparison will no longer be necessary as a new gold standard was set at the 2015 Invitational Shootout by a team many consider to be the heir apparent to The Les Dynasty.

On a beautiful, sunny day at Water’s Edge Golf Club, the team of Shane Hennessy-York and Greg Smith finished 11 under par to win the 22nd Annual Invitational Shootout by three strokes over Derek Cook and Steve Jandernoa. The winning score of 61 broke the previous record of 62, set by the legendary team of Kevin “Hammer” Hyland and Dave Neill in 2009.

The Hennessy-York and Smith scorecard featured one eagle and 10 birdies along with a single bogey. After posting a four under par 32 on the front nine, Shane and Greg turned up the heat with a sizzling 29 on the final nine.

Their lone eagle occurred on the par 5, 15th hole, which ironically provided a bit of disappointment for the powerful duo. “We probably should have had at least one more eagle out there today” said Shane Hennessy-York. “We both just missed another eagle putt and had decent chances on a couple other holes.”

Shane swingThe Champions followed their eagle on the 15th with a birdie on the difficult 150-yard par 3 16th hole on the strength of a spectacular shot by Greg Smith that would earn the young superstar the closest to the pin award. Smith’s incredible shot finished just a few feet from the hole. The duo would go on to birdie the 17th hole, capping a stretch of four consecutive holes which they handled in five under par.

“This type of performance not only re-wrote the record books, I think it really changed the future of the Tournament” said 2004 Champion Joe Hill. “Shane and Greg winning the Shootout is obviously impressive, but to destroy a field that had nine former Champions including the GOAT, George Les, is amazing. But to beat the records set by The Hammer, that’s insane.”

“I’m not sure we’ll ever see a performance like this again” said Mick McDonnell. “These two guys came in here and destroyed a field that was stacked with killers. I think we all felt the Hammer’s performance would never be eclipsed, at least in our lifetimes. This changes everything.”

Shootout Legend Guarantees Championship

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senne_guaranteeFew players in Shootout history command respect like Tom Senne. One of the 16 players to compete in the inaugural Invitational Shootout in 1994, this will be the 17th Tournament that Mr. Senne has been a part of. In addition to his 2012 Legends Division Championship, Tom is an Invitational Shootout Lifetime Achievement award winner and has finished runner-up in the Shootout a record five times.

“When you talk about Tom Senne,the first thing that comes to mind is his incredible will to win” said 2006 Champion Mike Howley. “I’ve played with some great players such as Scott Pommo and Ray Shinkle, but no one has the intense desire to destroy the competition like Tom. His focus borders on fanaticism.”

Despite having a resume that few players in Shootout history will ever match, Senne’s competitive flame still burns bright. This year he hopes to rekindle the spark that produced the Legends Division title in 2012 with his father Bob Senne.

senne_swing“I’m not going to lie, I expect us to win the title this year” said Tom Senne. “In fact I guarantee we’ll win the Legends Division. When dad and I are really on our game, we’re pretty much unstoppable. The Shootout is the biggest event of the year and I can’t wait to prove ourselves once again.”

The Senne’s will have three potential chances to pick up a trophy on Saturday at the 2015 Invitational Shootout. They qualify for the Super Legends, Legends and full field divisions.

“If there’s a team out there that could qualify for all three divisions and still win the full field tournament, it’s definitely the Sennes” said two-time Champion Walter Lis. “Tom and his Dad absolutely won’t quit until they achieve their goal. It’s always been that way and it’s a major reason why they are so respected by their fellow competitors. Golf is not a game of perfect, but don’t tell Tom Senne that.”

Shootout Introduces Super Legends Division

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SUPER-LEGENDS-TROPHYThe Invitational Shootout competition committee is introducing the Super Legends Division, which will be open to teams with a minimum combined age of 120. The new division will be contested for the first time this year at the 2015 Invitational Shootout.

With this announcement, there will now be three different divisions open for qualifying competitors at The Shootout – the Super Legends Division, the Legends Division and the Full Field. Teams that qualify for the Super Legends or Legends Division are still eligible to win the Full Field Championship.

This new division is the first such change from the Competition Committee since 2006, when the Legends Division was first introduced. The Tournament moved to Water’s Edge Golf Club that year and the first Legends winners were Bill Stanley and Victor Tocwish.

In 2007, the team of Bob Barasa and John Groark shot a five under par 67 to win the Legends Division title. They finished just one stroke behind the overall Tournament winners, an almost unthinkable feat until that year.

“The Competition Committee unanimously voted to introduce the Super Legends Division primarily because so many great teams are now in that age range” said 2004 Shootout Champion Joe Hill. “We’ve worked very hard over the years to attract and cultivate some of the top players who are 60+, so it only makes sense to create an entirely new division that showcases their talents.”

“I think there will definitely be some crossover between divisions because a lot of these teams that are 120+ can really play” said Competition Committee member Mick McDonnell. “I think something like Barasa and Groark in 2007 could occur again, especially since the top level teams have become so strong.”

All teams will be required to submit a total age at the scorers table before the start of the tournament. Teams with a combined age between 110-119 will qualify for The Legends Division and the Full Field title. Teams with a minimum combined age of 120 will qualify for all three Shootout divisions.

Probationary Qualifying Exemptions Announced

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2015_EXEMPTIONSThe Invitational Shootout Competition Committee recently announced four special probationary qualifying exemptions into the field for the 2015 event. Both teams that were awarded exemptions did not qualify initially, but were given special status based on appeal.

The two teams that have received 2015 Shootout invitations are Ken Dorsey/David Lesinger and Matt Grant/Tom Jemilo. Dorsey/Lesinger lost their qualifying match at Flagg Creek Golf Course and Grant/Jemilo came up short at Palos Municipal Golf Course.

Special probationary exemptions have been granted annually to teams the Competition Committee classifies as “solid candidates” for improvement. Notable teams to receive qualifying exemptions include Jutkins/Ellis in 2004, Slinkman/Slinkman in 2008 and the 2012 Champions Dan Cerny & Kyle Kickert.

“Every year we see a lot of really good teams fail to qualify for The Shootout” said Competition Committee member Joe Hill. “Many of these teams are good enough to compete in the big tournament, but they either have a bad day during qualifying or they just make too many mistakes under pressure.”

“We’re always looking to improve the quality of the field, so we typically try to identify a couple teams each year that show enough potential to eventually become cornerstone teams at the top of the leaderboard. It’s really quite an honor to get picked. We often see these exempted teams perform really well because they practice their butts off to prove they belong in the best two-person golf scramble in the Midwest.”

Although Dorsey/Lesinger and Grant/Jemilo will now be in the field for the 2015 Invitational Shootout, they will have to earn their way back to Waters Edge in 2016 by posting a lower score than the previous year’s McMouw Cup Champions. The 2014 McMouw Cup winners were Mick McDonnell and Ron Mouw, who posted an 81 last year to win the Cup.

“Dave and I couldn’t be happier to finally accomplish our dream of playing in the Invitational Shootout” said probationary qualifier Ken Dorsey. “I grew up idolizing the legends of this event like Hammer Hyland and George Les. I guarantee you no one will be working harder over these next two weeks to be ready for the tournament. On June 6, we’re definitely going to beat Mick and Ron and earn our invitation for many Shootouts to come.”

Invitational Shootout Qualifiers Face Long Odds

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shootout_golf_qualifying2As qualifying rounds begin this week, the Tournament future of dozens of Shootout hopefuls hangs in the balance. First conducted before the 1999 event, the purpose of the qualifying rounds is to give golfers of all skill levels the opportunity to earn an invitation into the Midwest’s most popular two-person scramble event.

In order to compete in any of the first five Shootouts, participants received an invitation directly from the Tournament Competition Committee. Golfers were selected based on their performance in other local events. Although this meant The Shootout would feature most of the top players in the area, many high-quality golfers were unable to make it into the field.

To help grow the Tournament and widen the competitive base, the Invitational Shootout Qualifying process was established. Since its introduction, seven Shootout champions have earned their way into the field by qualifying.

“I remember before our first Shootout at Maple Meadows back in 1999” said 2004 Champion Joe Hill. “John and I had to qualify to get invited and The Competition Committee was a little concerned whether we would be skilled enough to play. Both John and I played nine holes with a Shootout Committee member following us. Although I can’t remember the score, we didn’t have too much trouble making the cut.”

Although there were two qualifiers in 1999, Joe Hill and John Eterno were the only players to make the cut. The next year The Shootout had three times the number of players looking to qualify, so three different events were conducted. The three qualifiers were hosted at Flagg Creek Golf Course, Palos Municipal and River Bend in Woodridge.

Probably the most embarrassing qualifier was 2010 when Dave Hyland and Kevin Neill played their qualifying round at The Links at Carillon. No one knew that both Hyland and Neill played college golf until they hit their first shots. “Hammer” Hyland nearly drove the 330-yard first hole on the White Course. Hyland/Neill would go on to the set the all-time low scoring record in the 2009 Shootout. From that point on, players with scratch handicaps or better were no longer required to qualify.

This year’s qualifying rounds are expected to attract some of the best players in the Chicagoland area. With 2015 Shootout registrations at an all-time high, Tournament officials expect as few as four spots will be available to qualifiers.

“I’m working with a number of young players at Fresh Meadow Golf Club to help them get ready for their Shootout qualifiers” said McMouw Cup Champion Mick McDonnell. “With only a few qualifying spots available I feel bad for a lot of these guys who have been working on their game throughout the offseason.”

Deer Antler Spray Banned from The Shootout

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612_VJWith the news that three-time major champion Vijay Singh has admitted to using a deer antler spray, which contains a substance banned by the PGA Tour, the Invitational Shootout Competition Committee has announced that it will be following a similar protocol to the PGA Tour. All Shootout competitors are now prohibited from using deer antler spray or products that contain the banned substance IGF-1. This proactive move follows the guidelines set over the past decade by the Shootout Competition Committee in eliminating performance enhancing drugs from competition.

“Due to his admitted involvement with deer antler spray, Mr. Singh will not be allowed to compete in The Invitational Shootout” said Competition Committee spokesperson and 2009 Invitational Shootout Champion Dave Neill. “The two-person format of our great event is built around integrity and a completely level playing field. At this time, we do not feel that Mr. Singh, nor another golfer using deer antler spray, is competing within the lofty guidelines that we hold ourselves to.”

Since the first event at The Links at Carillon in 1994, the Competition Committee has worked diligently to monitor and police all competitive aspects of The Invitational Shootout. Due to these efforts, the Shootout continues to provide a level playing field for all participants so that the true champions can be decided on the golf course.

“I give the Competition Committee a lot of credit for policing the use of banned substances among the golfers” said 2004 Invitational Shootout Champion Joe Hill. “My partner and I play clean and we expect everyone else to play by the same rules.”

Three Honored With Lifetime Achievement Award

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Collectively, the trio of Len Piersialla, Dan Ricci and Walter Lis Sr. have participated in the Invitational Shootout 33 times. In addition, they’ve been strong supporters of the tournament every year, helping raise the awareness and reach of the Midwest’s top two-person scramble golf tournament.

To honor their efforts and participation, Piersialla, Ricci and Lis were recently honored with the prestigious Invitational Shootout Lifetime Achievement award. The golfers were presented the award by 2010 Lifetime Schievement Award winner John Boyle.

“I’m proud of winning The Shootout in 1999 with my partner Tom Scanlon” said John Boyle. “But I tell my kids about my Invitational Shootout Lifetime Achievement award. Winning this honor goes way beyond what we do on the course and it really helps put things into perspective. These guys will cherish this award for the rest of their lives.”

“I have a great time playing in The Shootout with Dan” said Len Piersialla. “It’s something we both look forward to every spring and helping support a charitable organization like The Helping Hand makes this tournament a must on my calendar every year.”