The Plateau Cup
The season-long race for The Plateau Cup began in February and concluded Sunday with the crowning of this year’s champion. In 2022 the PMGA had 121 golfers take part in at least one tournament with two-thirds earning pro shop cash. Those 121 golfers also earned points towards determining the starting positions for The Plateau Cup.
This year’s format was a bit different. All Plateau Cup participants played a 9-hole qualifier in the morning. The top 12 in season points were already qualified for the afternoon’s championship horserace. The morning qualifier determined the starting hole for each participant. As with the PGA series, the leaders were given extra strokes to help their cause.
Here are the results from Flight 1:
Golfer Net Starting Hole
Bob Smrecansky 32 4
Damon Buono 30 4
Joe Lipinsky 32 4
Darrell Clayton 31 4
Scott Callan 37 2
Rick Gallagher 34 3
Mike Boden 35 3
Justin Lee 37 2
Jay Horton 38 2
Manish Patel 39 2
Jim Cangiano 38 2
Greg Sinn 40 2
Phil Winkel 43 2
The rest of the field were competing just to make the horserace.
Twenty-one Flight 2 golfers were gunning for a top 10 score, including ties. In the end, it took a net 39 on the front nine to qualify for the horserace. Thirteen golfers were able to manage that score and had some more golf to play following lunch.
Here are the Flight 2 results:
Golfer Net Starting Hole
Sam Cooper 36 1
Ceri Eames 41 --
Sean Lee 30 1
Terry Bassinger 40 --
Steve Giandalia 42 --
Bill Mele 38 1
Gary Grembowski 39 1
Mark Schaefer 40 --
John Jester 50 --
Ted Buck 38 1
Daniel Savage 43 --
Ken Gilbert 39 1
Tejas Kamarkar 36 1
Manuel Ruival 38 1
Fred Glastetter 42 --
Norm Escover 38 1
Scot Studebaker 37 1
Jatinder Kohli 39 1
Tony Pacheco 34 1
Tracy Predmore 39 1
Andrew Jenkins 44 --
Courtesy of the PMGA a great taco bar greeted the morning wave following the nine holes. Following lunch, the thirteen qualifiers gathered on the first tee, while the rest loaded the half-emptied keg onto Chris Lungo’s golf cart.
By noon, the sun began to break out from behind the clouds. One week earlier, almost 90 degrees greeted Plateau Club golfers but, on this day, quarter zips were in order. At least the umbrellas could remain in the parking lot.
In the horserace format, a set number of golfers would be eliminated on each hole until one champion is left. If there is a tie on the net score cut line, a chip-off would be used to determine who moves on and who would join the gallery. Winter rules were used for the first time in many months following heavy rains the day before.
On the first hole, seven golfers were eliminated. It took a net par just to qualify for the chip off. The six survivors were then joined on the second tee by Scott Callan, Justin Lee, Jay Horton, Manish Patel, Jim (zero.zero) Cangiano, Greg Sinn and Phil Winkel.
The fleet of golf carts follow Chris and keg of Lucille down the 2nd fairway.
Five further golfers were eliminated on the second hole. The fairway was not a popular place off the tee as several golfers took penalty strokes. The back left pin position proved difficult once on the green. On to hole three and the addition of Rick Gallagher and Mike Boden.
A 200-yard shot awaits on hole #3.
Four more golfers were eliminated on hole #3. Cangiano was not one of them with a great tee shot to four feet. He had to wait for about 15 minutes to sink his birdie as the rest of the field tried to hole out. That was easy for Rick Gallagher who holed his bunker shot for a net 1. On to hole #4 with the season long leaders joining the group – Bob Smrecansky, Damon Buono, Joe Lipinsky and Darrell Clayton.
The right woods take their toll on the 4th hole
while Joe Lipinsky walks in another one.
The 5th hole was the last to eliminate multiple golfers. Jim Cangiano fell victim to a branch on the fairway maple. Rick Gallagher found the right side penalty area. And Scot Studebaker ran out of strokes.
You final six going into the last four holes were Bob Smrecansky, Damon Buono, Joe Lipinsky, Darrell Clayton, Sam Cooper and Bill Mele. Single elimination from here on out.
Of the final six, only Darrell Clayton was able to find the green, but he was a long way out to the tricky front hole position. Bill and Bob failed to clear the crap. With recent clearing, Bob was able to find his ball and chip out to the fringe. Following a less than stellar chip, Bob sank a curling, down hill 20 footer. Bill was not as fortunate and had to take a penalty stroke and failed to make the cut.
Damon and Sam found the penalty area to the right on hole #7. Sam took the penalty stroke and was able to recover. Damon ran into trouble was the one eliminated and finished in fifth place. The rest of the field played it safe and moved on to hole #8.
Sam Cooper was saved by the Douglas Fir behind the 8th green.
The eighth hole went down to a chip off.
Each of the four golfers played it well approaching the eighth green. Sam Cooper hit it a bit long on the right but was saved from the #2 tee by the well-placed Douglas Fir.
The other three golfers were on or near the green in regulation. Smerk and Darrell were able to get down in two while Joe had a three putt from long range. This led to a chip off between Darrell and Joe. Darrell was a bit closer and moved on to the championship hole.
Off the tee, Smerk drove it left and effectively took himself out of the hole. Sam was between the fairway bunkers and Darrell found the second one. On their second shots, Sam hit it to the left of the green while Darrell was back right. The pin was in its usual championship Sunday position, right up front. Sam chipped to the green and two putted for a net four. Darrell then had to sink a ten foot bender to force the chip off.
Sam was a bit short on the chip while Darrell put it past the hole. Darrell was ruled closer and the champion of The Plateau Cup.
Your 2022 Plateau Cup Champion – Darrell Clayton
A big shout out to Chris Lungo, David Grant, Jon Frederick and the entire golf crew for their assistance with all of the tournaments this year.
Thank you to the Food and Beverage crew keeping us fed and hydrated(?) throughout the season.
Thank you to Smerk and the major tournament organizers. A lot of work goes into making each of these tournaments a success.
Finally, thank you to all PMGA members who came out and tee’d it up in 2022. The 2023 schedule will be out soon. Put the tournaments on your calendars. We want to see many more golfers participate in 2023.
