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GOLF: Laudeman rolls to record-setting win at Medal-Play Championships

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FRIEDENSBURG — A practice round Friday night with a few of his friends gave Ryan Laudeman an indication that he could fare pretty well at this weekend’s Schuylkill County Amateur Golf Medal-Play Championships.

Even he, however, couldn’t have imagined it would be this good.

The 22-year-old Orwigsburg golfer broke the tournament record with a 7-under-par 137 in the two-day, 36-hole tournament at Hidden Valley Golf Course to capture his first county medal-play title.

After carding a 4-under 68 in Saturday’s opening round, Laudeman shot a 3-under 69 on Sunday to win the Championship Flight and overall title by four strokes over runner-up Bailey Sophy of Pottsville (71-70—141).

Defending champion

Sean Misstishin (71-72—143) finished third, while Steve Rice (71-74—145) placed fourth.

Mike DeColli of Pottsville (81-79—160) won the A Flight championship, while Hunter Mickatavage of Ashland (84-71—155) captured B Flight and Steve Reiter of Pine Grove (91-83—174) took top honors in C Flight.

“It’s been kind of a stagnant summer,” Laudeman said. “I’ve hit it OK, but I haven’t really made a lot of putts.

“We went out on Friday night, me, Steve Rice, Luke Morgan and Kyle Foster, we played a round and I hit it really well. I started to roll in some putts and I said ‘Wow, maybe I could make something happen this weekend.’

“I played extremely well (Saturday). I had a really solid round putting. Today, I putted really well. If anybody gets their putter hot here, it usually means you’re going to do well.”

Saturday, Laudeman carded two eagles — the par-5, 464-yard No. 5 and the par-5, 527-yard No. 13 — birdied the par-4 No. 2 and par-3 No. 11, and had two bogeys. His drive on the 207-yard No. 11 landed just short of 10 feet from the pin.

Sunday, he was equally impressive, notching birdies on Nos. 2, 6, 13, 14 and 16 and carding bogeys on Nos. 7 and 9. He was an even-par 36 on the front nine and 3-under 33 on the back nine of Hidden Valley’s 6,259-yard layout from the blue tees.

He came within 3 feet of a hole-in-one on the par-3, 187-yard No. 6,

Laudeman’s total of 137 is believed to be a tournament record, according to tournament director Jim Kimmel and Hidden Valley’s Henry Kriner, who compiles all the statistics and history for the tournament.

“That’s amazing. It’s an honor to get in the record books,” Laudeman said. “There’s been some very good players (to win this tournament). Dennis Campbell was at 6, I’m sure Jimmy Rattigan was pretty low. You have guys like Dave Linkchorst ... all those guys that have won so many times.

“To be up with those guys and be my first stroke-play title, that’s pretty cool. It’s a pretty cool feeling.”

Laudeman graduated from Elizabethtown College in May and is a staff accountant for Heckman and Laudeman CPA firm in West Brunswick Township. He said he works full-time during the week and tries to play as much golf as he can during the evenings and on weekends.

The 2012 match-play champion, Laudeman competed for four years on the Elizabethtown College golf team. He said that experience helped prepare him for tournaments like this.

“Any time you are playing a lot of tournament golf, it gets you in the right mentality, the right mindset,” Laudeman said. “Tournament play obviously is a lot different than going out and playing with your buddies. Getting to have those adrenaline-pumping, pressure situations, it gets you ready for situations like this. It’s easy to control your nerves and play well.”

Laudeman is part of a youth movement that’s raging right now at the county level. Sophy, DeColli and Mickatavage are high school seniors, while several other finishers in the Championship Flight are in their early 20s.

Mickatavage (151) edged Sophy (153) by two strokes at the Schuylkill County Junior Golf Championships at Hidden Valley on Aug. 4-5, with DeColli placing third.

This weekend, Sophy shot a 1-under 71 on Saturday and was the only golfer to stay relatively close to Laudeman on Sunday with a 2-under 70.

Sophy overcame early bogeys on No. 2 and No. 4 to compile six birdies — Nos. 5, 6, 10, 14, 16 and 18. His 33 on the back nine equalled Laudeman for the lowest score of the day.

“I drove the ball really well,” said Sophy, 17, a senior at Blue Mountain High School. “I was never out of play. I hit the ball really well.”

Sophy plays with Laudeman, Morgan, Rice, Foster and several current or former Blue Mountain golfers in a weekend pick-up league. A PIAA regional qualifier last season, Sophy said being in the final group Sunday with Laudeman, Rice and Misstishin didn’t rattle him.

“I knew it was going to be fun, because I play with them all the time, like (Laudeman), Luke and Steve,” Sophy said. “Being in the final group with them, I felt really comfortable.

“I made a lot more putts this weekend. My score reflects it,” Sophy continued. “I shot a lot better than in the junior championships.”

Final results

54th Schuylkill County Amateur Golf Medal-Play Championships

At Hidden Valley Golf Course, Friedensburg

Yardage: 6,259; Par: 72

Final Scores

Championship Flight

Ryan Laudeman 68-69—137

Bailey Sophy 71-70—141

Sean Misstishin 71-72—143

Steve Rice 71-74—145

James Bromwell 73-74—147

Bob Hillibush 73-75—148

Anthony Mehling 75-74—149

Chris Hartman 78-71—149

Greg Merrick 72-78—150

Luke Morgan 78-77—155

Jim Gross 75-82—157

Dan Woznisky Sr. 77-82—159

Joe Drasdis III 77-86—163

Mark Knock 78-87—165

Nick Michels 78-WD

A Flight

Mike DeColli 81-79—160

Ray Miske III 80-81—161

Joe Welsh 80-81—161

Kyle Foster 82-79—161

Gary Hess 83-82—165

John Bashago 82-84—166

Luke Reiter 82-85—167

Mike Steffe 82-86—168

Eric Schneck 82-91—173

Austin Boyer 83-91—174

Frank Brennan 79-96—175

Joe Drasdis Sr. 81-96—177

B Flight

Hunter Mickatavage 84-71—155

J.D. Powis 86-74—160

Nick Brayford 84-77—161

Clair Rummel 86-79—165

Mike Misstishin 85-82—167

Bill Kaczmarczyk 84-86—170

Keith Knock 87-83—170

Mike O’Pake 87-84—171

Al Gricoski 85-88—173

Matt Reed 85-90—175

Dave Leymeister 89-88—177

Jeff Bromwell 89-90—179

Mike Muncy 85-WD

C Flight

Steve Reiter 91-83—174

Nate Yost 90-87—177

Ray Misstishen 92-87—179

Jared Sabitsky 94-87—181

Winn Allen 92-90—182

Brad Woznisky 97-85—182

Jeff Albo 98-85—183

Mike Leymeister 90-95—185

James Lord 96-91—187

Ed Tarantelli 95-102—197

Vernon Kleckner 98-100—198

Fred Krute 107-WD

Closest to the Pin

Saturday’s winners

No. 6 — Dan Woznisky Sr., 16 feet; No. 8 — Mark Knock, 2-4; No. 11 — Ryan Laudeman, 9-11; No. 17 — John Bashago, 5-11

Sunday’s winners

No. 6 — Ryan Laudeman, 3 feet; No. 8 — Joe Welsh, 2-2; No. 11 — Bill Kaczmarczyk, 29-10; No. 17 — Greg Merrick, 8-0

(Note: Until 1976, this was also a match play event.)

1962-64 — Norm Ackley

1965-66 — Bob Costanzo

1967 — Bill Wallace

1968 — Dave Linkchorst

1969 — Jim Bohrman

1970 — Dave Linkchorst

1971 — Marty Dwyer

1972 — Dave Linkchorst Jr.

1973 — Dave Linkchorst

1974 — William L. Jones III

1975 — Robert J. Devitz

1976 — Jim Bohrman

1977 — Jerry Haas

1978-80 — Jim Bohrman

1981 — Ray Misstishin

1982 — Dave Linkchorst

1983 — Jim Bohrman

1984 — Dave Linkchorst

1985 — Jim Bohrman

1986 — Dave Linkchorst

1987 — Ray Misstishin

1988 — Dave Linkchorst

1989 — Jim Bohrman

1990 — George Huss

1991 — Dave Linkchorst

1992 — George Huss

1993 — Dennis Campbell

1994 — Nick Michels

1995 — Jeff Paul

1996 — Mike Misstishin

1997 — Mike Muncy

1998 — Dennis Campbell

1999 — Mike Muncy

2000 — Jim Rattigan

2001 — Jim Rattigan

2002 — George Huss

2003 — Dennis Campbell

2004 — Jeff Metza

2005 — Jim Rattigan

2006 — Dennis Campbell

2007 — Jim Rattigan

2008 — Sean Misstishin

2009 — Jeff Metza

2010 — Randy Kurzinsky

2011 — Randy Kurzinsky

2012 — Randy Kurzinsky

2013 — Jim Rattigan

2014 — Sean Misstishin

2015 — Ryan Laudeman


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