Zac Oakley continues winning ways in The Peninsula’s 2015 Pro-Am
August 21, 2015
Zac Oakley recently came north from Florida to play in a few golf tournaments and see his family. Thus far it has all worked out very nicely.
He won the Delaware State Golf Association’s Delaware Open Aug. 3-4, held at Rehoboth Beach CC. Oakley then added to his local laurels Aug. 17 with a 3-under-par winning performance in The Peninsula Golf & Country Club’s 2015 Pro-Am Tournament.
This long-running event fielded nineteen foursomes for this year, each including one golf pro and three amateurs.
The pros competed directly against each other in one category. The team competition used the best single gross score and best single net score on each hole, regardless of pro or amateur status. The amateurs were limited to 80% of their handicaps, however, and no single score could be counted toward both gross and net on any hole.
Oakley played a steady round, highlighted by an eagle on the 547-yard par-5 second hole. His approach shot from 236 yards out finished about 8 feet from the hole. Oakley calmly rolled it in for the three.
He added birdies on two par 3s and another par 5, offset by bogeys on the par-4 12th and par-3 16th.
The elder son of Sandy and Pete Oakley continues to work toward his goal of making it to the Tour, with plans to compete again in the Web.com Q-School this fall in Florida. He made it past the first stage last year, but fell back a bit in the second stage qualifier. In the meantime he keeps busy, making nice money as a caddie at the storied Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, FL.
“There are about 40 of us who all play the mini-tours and want to make the Tour. It’s a tough layout, and we also compete against each other quite a bit,” Oakley said.
Zac Oakley (center) won the pro category of the 2015 Peninsula Pro-Am. He also teamed up with Jim Hutchins (right), Joe Shockley (not in photo), and yours truly (left) for the team title.
The life of a would-be touring golf professional is not for everyone. Oakley remains committed to his goals, however. Based on close observation of his Pro-Am performance, I think that level of commitment can pay off.
It was also a lot of fun to play on his winning Pro-Am team, along with Jim Hutchins and County Bank’s Joe Shockley. We won on a match of cards, after tying a group from Whitford Country Club in Exton, PA, including Andrew Turner, Mark Ellinger, John McEvoy, and Jim Terry.
Turner also finished in second place among the golf pros, followed by Mike Rushin of Bear Trap Dunes, Tim Ruddo of Manor Country Club, Rockville, MD, and Neil Maurer of Bear Trap Dunes.
Geyer Scholarship Fundraiser Tournament September 25
This year marks the second installment of the Andrew Geyer Memorial Scholarship Tournament, scheduled for September 25, with a shotgun start at 1:00 p.m. at Rookery North in Milford.
The tournament raises money for the Andrew Joseph Geyer Endowed Scholarship, established at Wesley College in Dover.
Geyer was a standout varsity golfer for Milford High School, and also built a great scholastic and playing record for the Wesley varsity. He died Feb. 15, 2009, when a drunk driver hit him while walking in Morgantown, WV.
The four-person scramble event, at $100 per player, includes range balls, greens fee with cart, prizes, and a dinner following the round. Entries can be turned into either Rookery Golf Shop.
For more information, contact Rookery Assistant Pro Chris Osberg at Rookery South at 302-684-3000.
Rehoboth Beach Country Club Ladies’ Member-Guest
Rehoboth Beach CC held its 18-hole Ladies’ Member-Guest Tournament Aug. 11-12, with 72 golfers competing. The format scored the best two balls of four.
Club members Beth Forbes and Tina Brinsfield with their guests, Pat Sterling and Jacque Sipple, combined for the winning 130 score.
Local Club Competition Results
The Kings Creek Country Club Ladies Golf League played a 3, 2, 1 team tournament Aug. 13. This format combines the three best scores of the foursomes on the par 3s, the 2 best scores for the par 4s, and 1 best score for each par 5.
Barbara Wisneski, Deborah Grant, Rosanne Smith, and Gail Petren combined for a first place finish. Wisneski also had the closest to the pin shot for the day.
Faye Slatcher, Monica Fleischmann, and Sheree Mixell came in second, while third place went to the team of Renata Price, Atom Irwin, Denise Stewart, and Margaret Moore.
The Kings Creek 9-Hole Ladies Golf Association played Three Blind Mice for their weekly game Aug. 17. In this format, after the round the pro shop staff draw three random holes, and the scores for those three are not counted toward the total.
Mary Beth Merolla won the game, with Susie Shevock finishing second and Jeanne Drake in third. Merolla also won the closest to the pin contest on the eleventh hole, with an approach that finished 15 feet 4 inches away.
The Sussex Pines CC Ladies 18 Hole Golf Association played their weekly game Aug. 18, in which the goal was to have the most net pars or better. Susan Shockley, Carol Love, and Kathy Hudak tied for first place, with 15 pars or better scored.