The Invitational Shootout

Two-Person Scramble Charity Golf Event

Aaron Knight Looking for New Partner

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AARON KNIGHTWith just less than 3 months before the tournament, the Invitational Shootout Pairings Committee has heard from anonymous sources that Aaron Knight is shopping around for a new partner. Many still view Knight as the best player to have never won this prestigious tournament.

Shootout Champion Joe Hill thinks that Knight has a few more good years of golf left in him, “but he is obviously feeling the pressure as his window of opportunity to win this thing closes more rapidly with age and his deteriorating physical conditioning, or lack thereof.” Shootout Champion Mike Howley added, “Aaron has become increasingly aloof and solitary on the golf course with each passing year without a title. You can almost see the added stress on Aaron when the subject of the Invitational Shootout is mentioned. I really feel bad for the guy, but I think his new partner, whoever that may be, should be aware that he will be stepping into a very volatile situation.”

Ray Shinkle, a two-time Invitational Shootout champion, responded that “(he) could see things going south real quick if Knight’s new partner were to shoot poorly on the opening holes.” Shinkle then caught himself and refused any further comment on the impetus for Knight’s search for a new playing partner citing his desire to stay on Knight’s “good side.”

Mike Kroening Bags Two Turkeys

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MIKE KROENING TURKEYAnother year has passed and not much has changed. Former champions, Mike Howley, Walter Lis, Ray Shinkle and Joe Hill all had solid performances once again in the Shootout, a tournament that some golfers claim is more pressure packed than Q School or even the Ryder Cup. Meanwhile, nerves once again seemed to get the better of Aaron Knight, who under normal circumstances makes up for his lack of length with solid ball striking.

Mike Kroening, Knight’s long time partner, cut his two week turkey hunt short just so he could try to settle Knight’s annual jitters. Kroening commented, “Aaron is a nervous wreck out there! Perhaps he (Knight) should attend my annual month long annual turkey hunt before the Shootout to help clear his mind. Kroening (pictured), who bagged the nearly 35 pound turkey the day before the Shootout, remarked “I went from hunting turkey one day to playing with a turkey the next!”

Armstrongs Return to Shootout Glory

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2010 Invitational ShootoutUnder the threat of cloudy skies, brothers Brett and Bryan Armstrong prevailed over the largest field in event history to capture the 2010 Invitatonal Shootout at Water’s Edge Golf Club. The victory was their second, the first triumph coming in 2008 in a playoff over Dominic Dallio and George Les. This year Brett and Bryan finished with a 9-under par 63, three strokes ahead of 2004 Champion Joe Hill and partner John Eterno as well as the surging team of Steve Hedges and Ben Miller.

“I’m just speechless right now” said an emotional Bryan Armstrong. “We really didn’t have a great rhythm today, so we basically ham and egged it pretty well. Brett hit some big shots early and we fought hard. With all these great champions out here today, we knew we couldn’t quit until the final putt dropped.”

With the victory, the Armstrongs join the team of Mark Murnane and Mike Marziani (1996, 1998) as the only teams to win two Invitational Shootout titles. They also join an elite group of only six players, including Murnane, Marziani, Ray Shinkle and Walter Lis, to own multiple wool Champion’s jackets.

“As soon as we stepped off the Bucky Bus today I knew this would be a special day” said Brett Armstrong. “With this incredible field and the rich history of this event, you always expect fireworks at The Invitational Shootout. I’m just really proud of the way my brother and I performed under the microscope of such a major event. Hopefully we can improve on some things this summer and be ready if Hammer Hyland returns in 2011.”

2010 Lifetime Achievement Awards

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JOHN BOYLE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDHe’s appeared in 13 of the 17 Invitational Shootout tournaments, including the inaugural 1994 event at The Links at Carillon in Plainfield. He’s an Invitational Shootout Champion, winning the memorable 1999 event at Maple Meadows in Wood Dale with partner Tom Scanlon. He’s also an accomplished diver and philanthropist, leading the 2008 Dive for Charity at the Shootout.

He is the legendary John Boyle, who joined Mike Fahey Saturday as the only competitors to be honored with the Invitational Shootout Lifetime Achievement Award. The Lifetime Achievement award honors individuals who make an extraordinary commitment to the event and the cause of the Invitational Shootout.

“When this event first started in 1994, we were just a bunch of guys who liked to play golf and compete” said John Boyle. “What this event has evolved into is just mind-boggling. I’m so proud to be involved with these people for such a worthy cause. This year I partnered with my dad and hopefully some day I’ll share this experience with my son as well.”

2004 Defeat Still Haunts Aaron Knight

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AARON KNIGHT MIKE KROENINGOf the 28 players to have worn the wool jacket as Invitational Shootout Champions, it’s safe to say very few possess the PGA Tour caliber ball-striking of Aaron Knight. Despite a very impressive golf resume, Knight has been universially accepted as the “Best Player to Have Never Won The Shootout”, a moniker that does not sit well with this normally affable golfer.

“Yeah, it does bother me to be called the best player to have never won The Shootout” said Aaron Knight. “I don’t think a day goes by without the painful memories of the 2004 playoff loss. Mike Kroening and I really have to produce this year or I may have to contemplate serious changes.”

Boyles Look to Make Invitational Shootout History

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JOHN BOYLE AND JOHN BOYLE SR.When he arrives at the first tee on June 5th, John Boyle will be making his 13th appearance in The Invitational Shootout. Only three players have competed in more Shootouts then John Boyle and none will be more meaningful than this year for the 1999 Invitational Shootout Champion.

“This year my dad and I will be partners and we’re really looking forward to making a run at John Moirano’s Legend’s title” said Boyle. “My victory in 1999 with Tom Scanlon was quite an accomplishment, but this year, Dad and I will re-write the record books by becoming the first Father/Son team to bring home a trophy.”

Local Celebrity Preps for Invitational Shootout

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RYAN MOUWWith just a month before the event, the Shootout Participant Committee still awaits an official commitment from long-time Shootout participant and local celebrity Ryan Mouw. However, Ryan is taking this year’s event more serious than ever as he enrolled in the local celebrity fit club boot camp several months ago.

No one has seen Mouw since he checked himself into this rigorous program, but an anonymous source, who also provided these before weigh in photos, reports that Ryan already has achieved his stated overall goal. If that is indeed true, we expect Mouw to vault up the Shootout leader board this year now that he can couple renewed fitness and endurance with his always superlative field wood game.

Fans in Awe of 2004 Shootout Champion Joe Hill

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JOE HILLThe atmosphere around the driving range at Flagg Creek Golf Club in the normally sleepy town of Countryside on Wednesday afternoon was electric with a dominating practice session by Joe Hill, 2004 Invitational Shootout Champion. Hill’s crisp ball striking and thunderous drives caught the attention of more than one local patron.

“This guy was bouncing balls off the top of the net at the back of the range” said Dr. Wayne Solomon. “That’s over 300 yards! I was also impressed by his precision iron shots. This guy has to be considered a favorite to win another plaid jacket.”

Aaron Knight Prepares for the 2009 Shootout

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After reading of his game’s demise on the Shootout website, Aaron Knight has embarked on an intense training and practice regimen in preparation for Saturday’s showdown culminating in his participation in this year’s Memorial Tourney Skins Game in Dublin, Ohio.

“I was shocked, but not totally surprised when Jack {Nicklaus} asked me to participate this year” said Knight. Nicklaus was in complete admiration of Knight’s revamped swing when touring Redtail Gold Course in Lakewood, IL as part of a course revamp. “When I saw him swing, I was reminded of some of the game’s greats and said to myself, he has to be included…”

John Boyle Announces His Return

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With 11 appearances, including a victory at Maple Meadows in 1999, not many players have meant more to The Invitational Shootout than the incomparable John Boyle. The competition committee is proud to announce that Mr. Boyle will compete in this year’s event with partner to be determined.

“JB was with us for the inaugural event in 1994 at Carillon and it’s great to have him back once again this year” said Mike Howley. “Quite simply, John is what The Shootout is all about.”