Altschuls take home 27th MGA Father & Son Net title
NORTH CALDWELL, N.J. (August 15, 2016) - Dick Altschul of Rockleigh and Sean Altschul of Preakness Hills tallied an 8-under 63 net score on Monday at Green Brook Country Club to earn the top spot at the 27th MGA Father and Son Net Tournament.
The duo used hot starts on the beginning of each nine to propel themselves to the one-stroke victory. After net birdies on each of the first three holes, the Altschuls carded four straight pars. They traded a bogey and birdie turning to the inward nine, where they had another hot stretch. After making par-4 on the 10th, they registered two birdies and an eagle to quickly move to 7-under par. A birdie on the par-5 15th was bookended by bogies to return the pair to 6-under, but a par and a net eagle on the last led to the 8-under total.
Finishing just one stroke back were Green Brook's very own Dr. Ahmed Mekkawy and Darren Mekkawy. The Mekkawys also started strongly with birdies on the first three holes. The pair had bogies on Nos. 6-7, but those would be the last miscues on the card. After making the turn in 1-under, the duo netted four birdies, plus an eagle on the par-5 13th as they made their way in with a score of 6-under 30 over the final nine and a 7-under 64 net total.
Leading the way in gross finishers were Michael Weinert of Fresh Meadow and Thomas Weinert of Met GCSA Golf Club. Four birdies in a five-hole stretch fueled the pair's early run. While a triple-bogey seven on the ninth set them off track, they bounced back nicely with birdies on the next two holes, before finishing the round with seven consecutive pars.
Taking the professional division were Dominick Roman of Bayonne and Freddy Roman of Paramus with an even-par 71. A birdie on the downhill par-3 fifth put the pair back to even, before closing the outward nine with four consecutive pars. Two bogies over the first four holes on the inward nine dropped them back, but two more birdies on par-3s (Nos. 14 and 17) returned them to even par for the day.
Last year's low gross finishers Michael and John Del Priore of Hollow Brook had another quality showing, finishing with a 2-under 69 gross score.
Green Brook played to a par-71 at 6,179 yards and was a quality setup for the Pinehurst format.