CANADIAN LAKES – Gerald Dekker of Shelby Township made a five-foot par-saving putt on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to secure the win for his team Monday in the 10th GAM Scramble State Championship at Tullymore Golf Resort.
Dekker, Ted Gabriel of Ortonville, Jim Osebold of Auburn Hills and Michael Peltz of Grosse Pointe won the gross scoring title with the par on No. 18 on the Tullymore course.
“It was a nerve-wracking putt and I’m glad I didn’t have to hit it,” said Osebold, the team spokesperson. “Gerry hit it and it was beautiful.”
The winners shot a round of 9-under 63 on the St. Ives course Monday to go with a 14-under 58 on the Tullymore course from Sunday, which included a hole-in-one by Osebold, for their 23-under 121 total. Osebold hit a 9-iron shot 127 yards for the ace on No. 7 Sunday. It was the second of the 72-year-old golfer’s life, and 52 years after the first.
“The hole-in-one helped and it was fun, but I just love our team,” Osebold said. “We came in second in this last year and this year we said we’re coming back and we’re going to change it. And we did. We won it.”
Falling in the playoff after missing a similar par putt of about six-feet and earning runner-up trophies in gross scoring was the team of Michael Fierk of New Hudson, Gary Fierk of Stanwood, David Ratz of South Lyon and Michael Sylvester of Canadian Lakes. They shot a closing 59 Monday on Tullymore after a 63 Sunday on St. Ives for 121.
The net scoring title went to the team of Charles Chalker of Ray, Brent Pifer of Lake Orion, Patrick Chalker of Troy and Derek Harper of Howell.
They shot a net 59 on the Tullymore course on Monday to go with a net 57 from Sunday at St. Ives for a 28-under 116 total.
They won by four strokes over Ryan Hansen of Berkley, Robert Meshew of Allen Park, Joseph Strauel of Troy and Michael Chodzko of Livonia, who shot a final net 57 at Tullymore for a 24-under 120 total.
A total of 24 teams competed in the championship that was played in a special step-aside format. Teams were made up of four GAM members – men, women, senior men, and or senior women.
NOTE: In photo on front page: Jim Osebold, left, prepares to high-five Gerald Dekker, right, after his winning putt in the sudden-death playoff for the gross title. Michael Peltz, center, picks up a ball marker