The Invitational Shootout

Two-Person Scramble Charity Golf Event

2011 Lifetime Achievement Awards

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JOHN_GROARKTwo pillars of The Shootout were honored this year by the tournament competition committee with Lifetime Achievement Awards. Tom Senne and John Groark became only the 3rd and 4th participants to receive this prestigious honor.

Tom Senne has participated in 13 of the 18 Invitational Shootouts, including the inaugural event in 1994. He’s also the record holder for most 2nd place finishes with four. Tom’s intensity and competitive spirit has consistently kept him at the top of the leaderboard for nearly two decades.

John Groark was one of the original 16 players to compete at the 1994 Invitational Shootout. Since then he’s shown a steady willingness to adjust his game with different partners, including a 3rd place finish in 2011 with long-hitting Kyle Kickert. John also partnered with Bob Barasa to shoot a five under par 67, to win the Legends Division of the 2007 Invitational Shootout.

Garcia/Waites Pummel Shinkle/Lyons After Months of Shinkle Smacktalk

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GARCIA_WAITESMonday morning payback was tough for two-time Champion Raymond Shinkle and his partner Patrick Lyons. After casually dismissing the skills of Alabama Al and El Chupacabra Garcia for several months preceding the Shootout, Ray Shinkle is stuck eating something that he is unaccustomed….CROW!

Garcia/Waites posted an impressive -2 score that was even more remarkable considering that Alabama Al had arrived in his pick up truck just 1/2 hour before the start of the Shootout after driving through the night from Talledega Springs, Alabama. Al said that for the first nine he was still wired from drinking a six pack of Diet Mountain Dew during the lengthy drive.

The Diet Dew buzz eventually wore off for Alabama Al on the back nine, but that is where Garcia came alive. El Chupacabra Garcia, like the mythical blood sucking beast, has a penchant for devouring his prey. Garcia never missed a fairway on the back nine and he and Waites hung tough to post a solid sub-par round for this pair that had never played golf together until the 2011 Shootout.

Indeed, little did Shinkle and Lyons know that they never stood a chance against this focused twosome. Equally alarming, is that Shinkle and Lyons continue to struggle ever since the Shootout moved to this tough southside track. While walking off the final green, Shinkle mumbled that, “this course has my number.”

McMayhem for 1st McMouw Cup

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MCMOUW_CUPThe grudge match between brothers intensified once again this year as Ron Mouw and Mick McDonnell battled Ryan Mouw and Larry McDonnell, this time for the new McMouw Cup. Both teams started their preparation for this year’s event immediately after the 2010 Invitational Shootout. Their efforts paid off as both teams dramatically lowered their scores.

In the end, it was the confidence and experience of Ron and Mick that led to victory and a full year of ownership of the coveted McMouw Cup. “This was a battle unlike any other” said Mick McDonnell. “There were fireworks out on that course today and they came from both teams. I’ve got all the respect in the world for these guys and we look forward to defending the McMouw Cup for the first time at the 2012 Invitational Shootout.”

Dallio and Les Win 2011 Invitational Shootout

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DALLIO_LESDominic Dallio & George Les overcame a torn contact lense and a torrential downpour to capture the 2011 Invitational Shootout. This was the second title for the team of Dallio & Les, who also won in 2007 when they held off Walter Lis and Tom Senne for a one shot victory.

Dallio & Les started their round quickly, with three birdies in their first five holes. Then catastrophe struck when Dominic accidently tore a contact lense. At nearly the same time, play was halted due to weather, providing a brief window of opportunity for Dallio’s fiancee to arrive with a replacement lense, right before play resumed.

“After we started so well, I couldn’t believe that I had torn my contact lense” said Dallio. “It was the last thing I expected to happen. Thankfully, we were able to call for a replacement during the weather delay and use that time to regroup.”

Despite somewhat soggy conditions after the rain delay, Dallio & Les kept the pressure on and finished with a remarkable 9-under par round of 63. The duo won their first Shootout in 2007 with a 6-under par 66.

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.”