Tyler McGarry’s pitch from potential trouble to within 18 inches set up the winning birdie putt on the first extra hole June 29 when he joined partner Lorenzo Medico to claim the championship in the 79th annual John A. Allan Invitational.
The three-day, member-guest at Fox Hill Country Club developed into a three-team race in the 63-hole, medal-play format of the championship flight.
Medico-McGarry, the opening-round medalists, won after shooting 11-under-par, 239 and finishing tied with Michael Haley-Eric Plisko, the strongest team on the final day when 27 holes were played.
Those teams made the playoff after holding off a strong closing flurry by John Mulhern Jr.-Zach Mulhern.
The Mulherns each birdied one of the last two holes. Their birdie-birdie finish got them to 10-under, 240, forcing the leading teams in the final group to par 18.
Medico and Plisko each managed pars to set up the playoff.
A field of 18 teams began pursuit of the title June 27.
Medico-McGarry went 3-under on each side to open with a 65 and jump out to a three-shot lead over three teams – Haley-Plisko, eventual fourth-place finishers John Mikiewicz-Tom Biscotti and Brian Gill-Liam Gill.
McGarry was on fire with birdies on 3, 4 and 6, an eagle on 12 and birdies at 17 and 18 to shoot what could have been a 66 on his own ball.
Mickiewicz-Biscotti birdied the final four holes on the front nine, two by each, for a round of 67 June 28 to end the second day in a tie for first with Medico-McGarry at 135.
Teams went out on the final day needing to get into the top eight after the 18-hole round to earn a shot in the tournament’s final nine holes.
Two teams stood out on the final morning.
Mulhern-Mulhern went out in 33 to move into a three-way tie with Medico-McGarry and Mikiewicz-Biscotti.
A.J. Donatoni-Don Donatoni had the best score of the first nine with a 32. After starting the day in a three-way tie for eighth and just one stroke ahead of four more teams, they made the turn in a tie for fifth with the Gills, one shot behind Haley-Plisko, but five out of the lead.
The Donatonis kept climbing with two more birdies on 10 and 11, making it five in six holes, but they had just one birdie over the final 16 holes to fall back.
Haley-Plisko had the best back nine with a 31.
By the time the final eight headed back out to decide the title, although the field was at eight, it was essentially a four-team race. With their round of 65, Haley-Plisko matched the Mulherns, a stroke off the pace set by Medico-McGarry.
Mickiewicz-Biscotti stayed on the fringe of contention until three straight birdies on 15 through 17 led to a finish at 245.
The Donatonis finished fifth at 247.
Mark Answini-Shamus Gartley joined the top three teams in shooting under par on the last nine and wound up sixth with 248.
Scott Answini-Derek Johnson placed seventh with 249 and the Gills came in eighth at 250.
The championship flight scores, for the teams cut after 54 holes, were: David Kluger-Eric Williams 215; Joseph Carroll-William Pabst 216; William Gill-Joseph Weiscarger 217; Jamie Anzalone-Bill Musto 218; Donald Crossin-Ryan Crossin 219; William Burke-Christian Davis 221; Francis Crossin-Frank Schiel Jr. 221; Jim Hoover-Ryan Molitoris 225; Ryan Georgetti-Brian Stepniak 229; Paul Keating-Evan Joyce 231.
