CHICAGOLAND’S

CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS TOURNAMENT

Park Ridge Country Club

Park Ridge, , Septermber 24, 2015

By Dennis LaLiberty

On a beautiful early fall day, virtually perfect for golf, with temperatures in the mid 70’s and just

the whisper of a breeze, Marty Hynes of Chicago’s Ridge Country Club outlasted Jason

Chojnacki of Prestwick Country Club, Frankfort, IL, in a three-hole playoff to win the 2015

Champion of Champions tournament marking the 17th year it has been played at Park Ridge

Country Club. Both finished in regulation at one under 69 after each led most of the first

eighteen at three under. Both stumbled over Park Ridge’s “Last Mile,” the difficult 15th through

18th holes. In Chojnacki’s case a birdie at the long 3 par 17 was offset by double bogey at the par

4 18th, while later, Hynes, who went into 17 with a two stroke lead at 3 under, finished with

bogeys at 17 and 18, thus necessitating a three-hole cumulative score playoff over the 10th, 17th,

and 18th holes.

On the par 5 10th hole, the first in the playoff, Hynes hit his third shot pitch to within 6’ of the

pin but had his birdie putt spin out. Chojnacki left his 3rd shot out of the front cross bunker just short of the green, then hit a first putt some 6’ below the hole but lipped out his attempt for a tying par. Score: Hynes 5, Chojnacki 6. On the lengthy 3 par 17th, Hynes looked as if he might

be in trouble with his tee shot short and in the right hand bunker while Chojnacki was on the green a bit above the hole and some 12’ left. However, Hynes made a saving up and down with a clutch putt after hitting his bunker shot some 5’ below the hole, while Chojnacki’s birdie putt

came up a tad short. Score: Hynes 8, Chojnacki 9. Both players hit perfect drives into the center

of the fairway on the 18th hole--a 434 yard dogleg par 4--with Hynes some 170 yards from the pin and Chojnacki five yards closer. Hynes’ approach came just onto the 18th green, leaving a lengthy 35’ uphill putt, while Chojnacki’s second shot ran through the green and wound up above the hole at the edge of the long rough. Hynes hit his long birdie putt 7’ short of the hole, while Chojnacki’s putt from off the green jumped as it came off the fringe and left him with a slick six footer for his par. Hynes attempt for par slid by, with his subsequent tap-in resulting in a bogey. Chojnacki now had an opportunity to tie the playoff and send it to a sudden death extension going back to 18 tee. However, there was no replay of 18 as Chojnacki’s 6 footer for par also slid by, equaling Hyne’s bogey on the hole, but totaling one more cumulative stroke in the three-hole playoff. Final score in the playoff: Hynes 13, Chojnacki 14

.

Marty Hynes played briefly on the St. Ambrose University Golf Team but essentially learned his

golf closer to home. He has an unorthodox style, similar to that of Allen Doyle, the Champions

Tour player who enjoyed considerable success in the early 2000’s: a flat wristy swing out of a

low crouch. While unorthodox, it is also very accurate, as Hynes demonstrated with his play

throughout the tournament. Allen Doyle claimed he swung that way because he had been a

hockey player in his youth. In Hynes case, the explanation was as unorthodox as his swing: As a

youngster he practiced swinging in the basement of his home and, because of its low ceiling, he

had to keep the club low back and through the ball. However it came about, Marty’s game is a

classic example of the old adage: “It’s not how, but how many.” In his case, “how many” proved to be the winning number and we hope to see that unique swing competing for another

Champion of Champions trophy in 2016.

Thanks to the beautiful fall weather and the outstanding work of Park Ridge’s Grounds

Superintendent Joel Purpur and his crew the course was in excellent shape. Many participants remarked favorably on the course grooming and the condition of the greens.

Chicagoland’s Champion of Champions invitational golf tournament for men was first played in

1933, and was held annually at various clubs until 1984. Park Ridge CC revived the tournament in 1998 and has hosted it annually ever since with the exception of 2001 when the course was closed for remodeling. The traveling trophy to be displayed at the home club of the winner was donated by the Western Golf Association (WGA).

For more information, contact:

John Larson, (847) 670-1568

Rich Peterson (847) 698-3305

Chicagoland Champion of Champions Golf Tournament

Park Ridge Country September 24, 2015 Final Scores 2015 69 Marty Hynes** Ridge Country Club 80 Steve Brey Inverness Golf Club Jason Chojnacki Prestwick Country Club Mike Earley Big Foot Country Club 71 Joe Rundle Robert Larsen Naperville Country Club John Vernasco Merit Club Bob Molina Evanston Golf Club 73 Dan Dempsey Black Sheep Golf Club Tom Sweetwood McHenry Country Club Kevin Koziol Crystal Tree G. & C. C. 81 Kevin Economos Oak Park Country Club Alberto Moriondo '14 CofC Champ [Kemper Lakes] 82 John Arenson Cress Creek Country Club Michael Rodriguez Elgin Country Club Jeff Roers Hawthorn Woods Country Club Terry Werner '07 C of C Champ[Briar Ridge] 83 Larry Elbaum Briarwood Country Club 74 Brian Barrett The Grove Country Club 84 Rick Cavenaugh Biltmore Country Club Chris Crawshaw Westmoreland Country Club Paul Moreschi Butterfield Country Club Adam Gifford Beverly Country Club 85 Dave Mitzner Kemper Lakes Golf Club C. J. Koroll Medinah Country Club 87 Christian Novay Eagle Brook Country Club Matt McLaughlin Barrington Hills Country Club Brad Rendell ** Won in a 3-hole playoff Jason Shapiro Green Acres Country Club Jim Vitale Itasca Country Club 75 Terry Bachner St. Charles Country Club Basil Clausen Innsbrook Country Club John Finnin Olympia Fields Country Club Mike Karney Crystal Lake Country Club Jim Malik Rolling Green Country Club Brandon Suzuki Conway Farms Golf Club 76 Kevin Buggy Park Ridge Country Club Craig Duncan River Forest Country Club Steve Peake LaGrange CountryClub 77 George Ardelean Jr. Ridgemoor Country Club Bob Carlson Stonebridge Country Club Brian Hogan Long Beach Country Club Grant Niehus Lost Dunes Golf Club Blair Skarin Royal Fox Golf Club 78 Todd Block Twin Orchard Country Club Andrew Burdick Riverside Golf Club Andy Martin Glen Flora Country Club Joel Schneider Ravinia Green Country Club Josh Sellers Aurora Country Club 79 Chuck Starcevich Lansing Country Club Brad Walker Sunset Ridge Country Club

26-Sep-15