Fineout finesses Key Royale Club championship
by Kevin Cassidy
Islander Correspondent
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| Merritt Fineout on the course he champions. Islander Photo: Courtesy Jim Meena |
The Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach held its annual club championship match-play tournament in late February and saw Merritt Fineout defeat defending-champion Web Cutting two up to complete a come-from-behind victory.
Fineout was two down to Cutting through nine holes, but birdied the 12th hole to pull to within one hole and evened the match with a par on the 13th hole.
Birdies by Fineout on the 14th and 15th holes gave him a 2-up lead, but Cutting won the 16th hole when Fineout couldn’t make a 2-foot putt for par, pulling Cutting to within one hole with two to play.
Cutting and Fineout halved the 17th hole, which meant Cutting had to win the 18th to send the match to extra holes. Cutting’s approach shot on the 18th was inside of Fineout’s approach, but Fineout curled in an improbable 33-foot birdie putt to end the match with Fineout finally on top as club champion.
Fineout was excited with the win, saying, “I’ve been runner-up three times so to finally win was very exciting. It was a great match with a great gentleman.”
Key Royale Club held its annual awards banquet on April 6 and Fineout was “finally” recognized for his February accomplishment.
In other Key Royale golf news, the men played an 18-hole, best-ball-of-foursome match on April 2. The team of John Atkinson, Dick Grimme, Bob Kelly and Chris Collins took home first place with a score of 14-under-par 50. Two shots back in second place was the team of Bob Sayles, Jim Helgeson, Dave Platte and Larry Fowler. The team of Al Morgan, Bob Kral, Vince Mercadante and Jim Mixon matched the score carded by Don Ledford, Bob Jorgensen and John Driscoll to tie for third place.
The March 31 game had the men playing a 9-hole, best-ball-of-partners game. Jon Lindwall and Ed Holba carded a 6-under-par 26 to tie for first with Bill Gallagher and Omer Trolard. Second place produced a four-way tie between Jim Dunne and Carl Wencher; Bob Soos and Jim Helgeson; Earl Ritchie and Ed Havlik; and Tom Lewis and Tom O’Brien.
The coed game on March 28 also was a best-ball-of-foursome match that also produced a tie for first. The team of Nell Bergstrom, Joy Nellis, Larry Fowler and Al Morgan matched the 8-under-par 24 carded by Frankie Smith-Williams, Marian Mulroy, Tom Warda and Fred Meyer.
More golf news
The annual Whitey Horton Memorial Golf Tournament is now accepting registration for the Anna Maria Island Privateers May 10 fundraiser that is being held this year at River Run Golf Links. Cost for this event is $75 per player, which includes beverage tickets, a barbeque dinner and awards ceremony. Hole sponsorships are available for $50 and sponsors for door prizes are also needed. Proceeds go to Privateers’ youth scholarships and other community-Privateers events.
The Privateers know how to host a fun, not-to-be-missed event with a wild, cannon blast for a start.
To reserve a foursome, make a list of team players and submit with checks payable to Anna Maria Island Privateers and mail to P.O. Box 1238, Holmes Beach FL 34218.
For more information, contact Privateer Chip Jones at 941-812-1412.
Horseshoe news
The April 2 horseshoe games at the Anna Maria City Hall pits saw only two teams emerge from pool play with the requisite undefeated record and were left to battle for the day’s bragging rights. Rod Bussey and Gene Bobeldyk won a back-and-forth match by a 21-19 score over the team of Ron Slagh and R.B. Munroe. Bussey threw a game-winning ringer to punctuate his 67th birthday and end the match on a winning note.
Two teams advanced out of pool play for the March 29 horseshoe competition where John Johnson partnered with Ron Slagh for a semifinal match with Debbie Rhodes and Bob Lee. Johnson and Slagh bested Rhodes and Lee by a 21-11 score before delivering a 23-13 defeat to Dean Rowe and Marvin Gangemi to win bragging rights for the day.
Play gets under way at 9 a.m. every Wednesday and Saturday at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Warmups begin at 8:45 a.m. followed by random team selection. There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.
Anna Maria Island Little League schedule
Juniors
7 p.m.April 10Islanders vs. JR1 @ G.T. Bray
10 a.m.April 12 JR5 vs. Islanders @ Birdie Tebbetts
Majors
7:30 p.m.April 10Islanders vs. Cooney’s @ G.T. Bray-3
7:30 p.m.April 14Troxler & Smith vs. Islanders @ AMICC
Minors
6:30 p.m.April 10Anchor Inn vs. Sun @ AMICC
1 p.m.April 12 Sun vs. Dick’s Sporting Goods @ G.T. Bray-1
5 p.m.April 12 Surf Shop vs. Beef O’Brady @ G.T. Bray-3
6:30 p.m.April 15Lancers vs. Surf Shop @ AMICC
AA
7 p.m.April 11Americo Title vs. LPAC
11 a.m.April 12Americo Title vs. Florida Eye Tours
T-ball
5:30 p.m.April 11 HB Auto Repair vs. Morgan Stanley
9:30 a.m.April 12Island Fitness vs. HB Auto Repair
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