The Invitational Shootout

Two-Person Scramble Charity Golf Event

Aaron Knight Explodes in Rage

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250_AKNIGHT_LAUGHAfter 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.”

Armstrongs Win The Shootout

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ARMSTRONGS GOLFDespite 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.

2007 Lifetime Achievement Awards

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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.”

Shinkle Spooked By Black Cat

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The cruel fate of bad luck finally caught up with two-time Invitational Shootout Champion Ray Shinkle on Saturday. While maintaining the outright lead in the Tournament, Shinkle became startled as a black cat strolled across his path on the 14th tee. A spooked Shinkle proceeded to double-bogey and bogey his next two holes, losing his chance for a third title.

Dallio and Les Win 2007 Invitational Shootout

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Against the largest field in Tournament history, George Les and Dominick Dallio were able to hold off two-time Champion Walter Lis and partner Tom Senne by one stroke along with three other teams to win the 2007 Invitational Shootout at Water’s Edge Golf Club.

Les and Dallio carded a six-under 66 to take home the trophies and the coveted wool jackets in what may be the most competitive Shootout ever. Despite somewhat breezy conditions, a record twelve teams finished under par. The consistent low scoring was a testament to the quality of the largest field in Tournament history.

“George and I were expecting four or five under would win the tournament” said Dominic Dallio. “Thankfully we were able to pick up a couple late birdies because the field this year was exceptionally strong and the scores were lower than we anticipated. George hit a great chip on 18 to seal the deal, so I’m really proud of our performance.”

Stanley and Tocwish Win First Legends Division Crown

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The team of Victor Tocwish and Bill Stanley were crowned champions of the inaugural Legends Division of The Shootout. “Once we figured out that our collective age was above 110 years, I knew we had a good chance of winning” said Victor Tocwish. “I finished dead last in 2003 with Al Paszyna and now I’m an Invitational Shootout Champion. You can’t imagine how much this means to me!”

Howley and Pommo Win 2006 Invitational Shootout

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HOWLEY AND POMMOUnder brilliant blue skies and breezy conditions, the team of Mike Howley and Scott Pommo outlasted 86 golfers, the largest field in Tournament history to win the 2006 Invitational Shootout at Water’s Edge. The win erased twelve years of frustration for Howley, whose previous finishes with Pommo since 2002 have been disappointing at best.

“I told Scott before the round that I had a good feeling” said Mayor Howley. “We knew that this was a course that suited our game, we just needed to execute. Thankfully, we got off to a great start, reaching five under by the tenth hole. We just tried to hold on after that point.”

Welder and Wits Win 2005 Invitational Shootout

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After three previous second place finishes, the team of Aaron Wits and Joel Welder finally achieved their ultimate goal by winning the 2005 Invitational Shootout at Maple Meadows presented by The Pit Rib House. Wits and Welder overcame a brief, but severe weather delay and the largest field in the history of the tournament for a one stroke victory over Dan O’Connor and Paul Newman.

“Winning The Shootout has always been a dream for us” said Joel Welder. “I can’t believe that we’ve finally accomplished what we set out to do five years ago. It’s almost like this is all a dream”

“We’re proud to have Aaron and Joel as our 2005 champions and we’re confident that they will represent our tournament well over the course of the coming year.” said tournament organizer Michael Howley. “We raised a great deal of money for The Helping Hand and we had a great tournament with two deserving champions.”

Hill and Lis Win 2004 Invitational Shootout

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The largest field in Tournament History, in addition to glorious summer weather, combined to make the 2004 edition of the Invitational Shootout one of the most memorable. With a record five teams finishing under par, it took a playoff to decide the Shootout Champions for 2004.

On the second hole in sudden death, Joe Hill sank a 25-foot putt for the victory, earning his first wool jacket and partner Walter Lis his second. Hill & Lis defeated the team of Knight & Kroening after both teams finished 18 holes of regulation play at 2-under 68.

Hill’s success in the playoff came after a crushing overtime defeat in 2003 to the team of Donley & Shinkle. “After such a long wait, I was completely focused on erasing last year from mind and nailing that putt in the playoff” said Hill. “I did not want to spend twelve months second-guessing myself like I did last year.”

“We couldn’t be happier with turnout, the competition, the course and the weather” said tournament organizer Mike Howley. “We also raised a tremendous amount for The Helping Hand Rehabilition Center, which is a terrific accomplishment.”