Two-Person Scramble Charity Golf Event
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.”
With a championship and runner-up finish in only two Tournament starts, it’s easy to see why George Les is confident about his chances at the 2009 Invitational Shootout. He and partner Dominic Dallio are certainly among the favorites to capture the title once again this year.
In fact, George is so confident in his team he has guaranteed victory on June 6th at Water’s Edge Golf Club. “I have no doubt that Dominic and I will once again emerge victorious at The Invitational Shootout” said Les. “We look forward to joining the legendary Ray Shinkle and Walter Lis as the only two-time Tournament Champions.
When he returns to competition June 6th after a one-year hiatus from the Tournament, Tom Senne will bring with him one of the most accomplished resumes in Shootout history. A three-time runner-up with nine top ten finishes, Senne will this year be partnering with 2006 Champion Michael Howley.
“Tom’s incredible tenacity and will to win has always made him a force to be reckoned with at The Shootout” said Howley. “I feel his partner has truly held him back from the ultimate goal of winning this event. I plan on making that dream a reality in 2009.”
Commentary by 2006 Shootout Champion Mike Howley
Joe Hill has gone the way of John Daly…too much Tennessee booze, Pall Mall coffin nails and trailer parties with women with names like Trixiebelle and Shirlene have wrecked a once promising golf career. The only question is when John Eterno, Hill’s long time golf partner, will decide to pull the plug on the golf partnership.
Aaron Knight on the other hand remains the Shootout’s greatest enigma. Will his poor performance this year be due to the nerves of performing on the greatest stage of all, the travel fatigue associated with the long journey to the southside or the recent revelation of a 4th Knight sibling? He no doubt will use all of these excuses to explain why another title eludes him in ’09.
For the third consecutive year, brothers will compete against brothers in The Invitational Shootout as Mick McDonnell and Ron Mouw will square off against Larry McDonnell and Ryan Mouw. Both teams have proven they will do anything for a victory and this year should be no exception.
“Competing against my brother and Ryan Mouw makes The Shootout a very special experience for my partner Ron and myself” said Mick McDonnell. “I’ve got nothing but respect for those guys because they play the game the right way, with absolute integrity and class.”
With lake swimming expert Ryan Mouw unable to repeat last year’s impressive performance, 1999 Invitational Shootout Champion John Boyle took his place in the 2008 Dive For Charity.
“When I heard that Ryan would not be able to go, I knew it was up to me to swim for these kids” said Boyle. “If it takes me jumping into the pond on 18 to make a child’s dream come true, then I’ll come through every time.”
After 5 straight bogies resulted in a heated exchange with partner, Mike Kroening, Aaron Knight broke his 7 iron over his knee in a fit of rage. Tournament officials have not seen such an outburst since 1996 when Mike Ford heaved his entire golf bag into the green side pond after missing a crucial birdie putt.
Joe Hill, who was paired in the Knight and Kroening group, stated that “tensions were high between Knight and Kroening from the start. Aaron has such a strong game, but the pressure that goes along with being the best player to have never won the Shootout just seemed to get the better of him.” Aaron Knight has not returned repeated calls at time of this publication. Kroening commented, “ I think Aaron needs to take a break from the game and start hunting wild turkey with me on the weekends.”
Despite threatening weather throughout the day, Shootout rookies Bryan and Brett Armstrong outlasted 2007 Champions Dominic Dallio and George Les to capture the 2008 Invitational Shootout at Waters Edge Golf Course.
The Armstrong brothers vanquished Dallio and Les on the first hole of the sudden death playoff. “We drove all morning from Madison, Wisconsin to play in The Shootout” said Bryan Armstrong. “I just can’t believe we’ll be bringing the trophies back north of the Illinois border.”
This was the third sudden death playoff in Shootout history. The most recent occurred in 2004 when Joe Hill and Walter Lis prevailed on the second playoff hole at Maple Meadows Country Club.
Using their considerable guile and experience, the team of Bob Barasa and John Groark shot a five under par 67, winning the Legends Division of the Invitational Shootout. In addition, they finished just one stroke behind the overall Tournament winners, an almost unthinkable feat until 2007.
Long before The Invitational Shootout was a household name, Mike Fahey was a driving force in the event, helping mold the fabric of competition. In fact, Fahey is one of only three players to compete in all 14 editions of The Shootout. On Saturday, he was honored with a lifetime achievement award for his support.
“Mike Fahey has stood behind The Shootout since the beginning” said Mike Howley. “When the concept of a two-person scramble first came up in 1994, we looked to Mike for support and he’s been there every event since. We thank Mike for being a true friend of The Shootout.”