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Full Open Coverage from The Kingston Open in Norwalk, OH

The 2008 Kingston Open at Great Blue Heron Park in Norwalk, OH (what some Ohio players say is one of the two top courses in Ohio - the other being the Hoover Dam Brent Hambrick course in Columbus), had some quality competition this weekend, and a few surprises.

It all started the day before the tournament. Competitors from all of the divisions began to slowly filter in and many of the players in the Open Division were already on the course - Steve Millz, Gregg Barsby, Chris Addiego, Cory Sharp, and Chris Wojciechowski showed up early - Tyler Horne and Jordan Rauch would show up soon after. After some practice rounds, a random draw doubles round took place with two locals, Eric Quillen (Adv) and Keith Blakely (Open) winning with a 65 in a light atmosphere.

In the morning the atmosphere was a bit more charged with some competitors showing up at the last minute, a few unfortunate no shows, and plenty of people getting in their necessary warm-up holes to prepare for one of the best B-Tiers in northwest Ohio every year. In relatively calm conditions, the first round got off to an interesting start. Chris Wojciechowski, coming off his recent 3rd place finish at the US Am Nationals, posted the hot score with a 1024 rated 70. Gregg Barsby would follow close behind with a 71, recovering from an early triple bogey on hole 4. Steve Millz’s 72 and Tyler Horne’s 74 would round out the lead card going into the second round.

Tyler Horne, current Discraft Elite Z team member, began the second round red-hot with a pair of birdies on holes one and two (which both are deucable for someone with a cannon arm like his). Gregg Barsby (who is also a Discraft Elie Z team member) also birdied the first hole to tie Wojciechowski for the lead, but an unfortunate OB on hole two would drop him back. Soon enough, Horne passed up Barsby as Greg 3-putted hole 8. Barsby then turned it around and continued with his normal hot play throughout most of the round, overtaking Wojciechowski on hole 16. However, Chris birdied 3 holes in a row to take back the lead.

Horne came in with the hot round this time, a smoking 1036 rated 67 in breezy conditions. Wojciechowski followed with another 70, and then Barsby with a 73. Daemon Stahlin, coming off his 1st place finish at the US Am Nationals, held the 4^th best round with a 74, but had to settle on a 2^nd day/2^nd card placement after playing a frustrating first round. In the Advanced Division Evan Hughes also managed a 1016 rated 70 during the 2^nd round, creating an insurmountable lead with his first career 1000 rated round.

Going into day two, Chris Wojciechowski held a one stroke lead over Tyler Horne, four over Gregg Barsby, and eight over Steve Millz - and this foursome would enjoy a second day on the lead card. Again Wojciechowski lost the lead on the first hole, smacking the front of the basket with a short putt - resulting in a bogey. Before long, Horne started to absolutely tear up Great Blue Heron Park. He was the only competitor of the tournament to go through the front 12 without a single 4, coming in at 32 through that part of the course. Stepping onto the 17^th green (the third island hole) it looked like his lead would extend to seven strokes as he was settled at 10 feet out, 35 closer than Wojciechowski. Chris then smacked a difficult jump-putt into the basket, keeping it within striking distance.

After the final island hole Horne had settled with a bogey and Wojciechowski took a birdie, bringing the difference down to five. Horne then hit an early tree and took a bogey, bringing his lead down to three with a birdie by Woj. By hole #19 - some great shots by Chris brought the lead to only one. First out of the box, Wojciechowski then threw out of bounds, giving Horne an opportunity to re-extend his lead. Unfortunately, the Great Blue Heron Park course can be unrelenting, and Tyler hit another tree, flying out of bounds. Another tree on his up-shot left him with little more than a layup for a disappointing five. Wojciechowski took a four and the six stroke lead was gone. Barsby birdied the hole, sneaking back into contention by taking three strokes on Horne and two on Wojciechowski. On the final hole of the round Horne took another bogey, as Wojciechowski and Barsby both ended with safe pars.

Going into the final 9 Horne was just one stroke behind Woj, with Barsby within reach at two behind. Barsby’s 1017 rated 68 was the hot score of the 3^rd round. He was followed by Steve Millz, who played well with a quiet 69 to sneak back to par for the tournament. The final 9 was comprised of the same lead card as the final two rounds of regulation with Wojciechowski, Horne, and Barsby battling, and Mills sitting out of contention and in position for a solid fourth place cash. Also of note was Innova sponsored player Valarie Jenkins, recent women’s winner of the Vibram Open at Maple Hill, shooting a 1003 rated 70 and Daemon Stahlin shooting a 72 to jump way back into the cash for 6^th and 5^th place respectively.

The final 9 featured a lot of swings amongst the top 3. After all three competitors took a 3 on the 528 foot par 4 hole 2, Wojciechowski and Horne took 4’s on the next. Barsby’s 3 brought him into a tie for 2^nd with Horne. On the next hole - the 900+ foot composite of hole’s 9 and 10 - Horne provided entertainment for the gallery with a massive 3 which brought himself into a tie for the lead. The next “spray-and-pray” forehand hole saw Barsby take a deuce and slip into the mix, making it a three-way tie. On regulation hole 14, the fifth hole of the final 9, the gallery watched as trees were hit from every angle and each competitor grimaced and fought hard to try to take advantage of the others’ mistakes. Wojciechowski, after hitting one of the earliest, managed to get up and down to save for 3. Barsby was not so lucky, kicking off a tree on his up-shot to drop one stroke behind with a 4. However, he’d quickly make this up with a quick birdie. Two holes later, a 700+ foot par 4 threatened to see some separation. After Horne threw his 2^nd shot 60 feet out, both Barsby and Wojciechowski put their shots on the green. Wojciechowski missed his 30 footer off to the left of the chains - leaving it open for Barsby from 15. Unfortunately, he dropped it wide left. The final hole was all but academic as each of the three had drop-ins for 3.

Going to a playoff on hole 1, both Barsby and Wojciechowski were looking at a potential disadvantage to Horne’s arm on the first few holes. After both of them put it within range for an easy 3, Horne gave himself a chance for a 40-footer. Tyler would put it off of the front of the cage, moving it on to the 2^nd hole. Barsby started the next off with a drive well right and pin high, and Wojciechowski put his out safe for the 3. Horne, however, gave himself an uphill 40-footer with only a thin branch in his way. After a safe up for 3 by Wojciechowski, Barsby pulled off the shot of the tournament - saving his 3 with a miracle high-angle forehand. Horne gave it a good run with his putt but missed wide right, leaving the playoff alive.

The third hole of the playoff was the hole that both Horne and Wojciechowski had bogeyed during the final 9. However, Wojciechowski had 3 birdies on the hole during regulation play. Following up Barsby’s green crashing sky stall, Wojciechowski would take it a little lower and reach the green with a stall from deep as he had done during the first three rounds. Horne would follow Barsby’s route, attempting to crash the green from a skyward stall-shot. Neither Barsby nor Horne would be left with an easy putt; both of them 40 feet out. Wojciechowski was sitting 25 feet away and was in the best position for a birdie. Barsby almost saved through a jail-scenario, and Horne put his off of the left-side chains - but Wojciechowski would end the event with a solid putt, taking the $540 purse and a great deal of pride.

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***Images of both Tyler Horne and Greg Barsby were provided by and are a © of Discraft
***Image of Chris Wojciechowski was graciously provided by Chris