The Invitational Shootout

Two-Person Scramble Charity Golf Event

George Les Guarantees Shootout Victory

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Speaking to a group of local leaders, for the third time in the last four years, two-time Champion George Les once again guaranteed victory in this year’s tournament. Winner of the 2007 Invitational Shootout Championship and the 2011 Invitational Shootout Championship, Les and partner Dominic Dallio are prohibitive favorites to win their third set of plaid jackets, becoming the first golfers to win the Shootout three times.

“Dom and I are very excited and very confident about our chances this year” said George Les. “In fact, I think it would be a real shock if we didn’t win our third crown this year. My short game has never been better and Dominic is hitting the ball father than ever. We’ve been at the top of the Shootout Power Rankings since last year and I don’t think anyone else is really close.”

Dallio and Les won last year’s event by shooting a 63, three strokes better than their nearest competitors. Both the second place (Burke/Burke) and the third place (Groark/Kickert) teams will not be in the field this year. The next closest team from 2011 was Vince Cainkar and Mike Howley, a team that finished a distant five strokes behind Dallio and Les.

“George Les is definitely the favorite” said 2004 Invitational Shootout Champion Joe Hill. “But John Eterno and I aren’t going to lay down for anyone.” Two-time Champion Ray Shinkle agreed “Listen, Dom and George are a great team. But they could bring back Hammer Hyland and we’re still not going just give him the trophy. Let’s see what happens on Shootout Saturday.”

Aaron Knight Crowned People’s Champion

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After losing in a playoff at the 2004 Invitational Shootout, most experts believed Aaron Knight was poised for greatness. His silky swing and competitive personality was unique among Tournament competitors. After finishing sixth with partner Tony Bruno in 2003, Knight came painfully close in 2004 with partner Mike Kroening.

Despite all that potential, nearly ten years after his first appearance at The Shootout, Aaron Knight is still searching for his first victory. This troubling fact confounds many Shootout Champions who expected Knight would eventually join their ranks.

“With his ball striking and temperament, I’m stunned that Aaron Knight hasn’t won yet” said 2004 Champion Joe Hill. “Let’s face it, Aaron’s got a great swing and a solid short game” said two-time Champion Ray Shinkle. “It doesn’t make sense why he hasn’t won yet.” Said 2009 Shootout Champion Hammer Hyland “Aaron’s got what it takes to win this thing. Unfortunately, he just hasn’t done it.”

Although he’s certainly disappointed in his fruitless quest for the plaid jacket so far, Knight is far from giving up. “Listen, I’ve had my chances” said Aaron Knight. “But for one reason or another it hasn’t worked out yet. And despite my setbacks, I’m still one of the most popular players in the history of The Shootout. In fact, I’ve heard from a lot of supportive fans who really want me to win. At this point in my career, I feel like I’m The People’s Champion, which is pretty cool.”

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.”

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.”

Hill and Knight Going in Wrong Direction for Different Reasons

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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_KNIGHTAaron 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.

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.

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.”