By BEN FONG/For the Sentinel
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – Week 5 of the Thursday Ocean City Senior Golf League season produced several outstanding rounds and a number of decisive match play victories as players continued their pursuit of valuable points at Harbor Pines Golf Club.
In A Flight competition, Pete McInerney turned in one of the best performances of the week, posting a net 68 against Phil Gaffney’s 77. McInerney dominated match play by a 9-1 margin to sweep all 4 available points.
Joe Dempsey earned a full 4 points after shooting a net 74. His opponent, Jim Hoagland, was unable to complete the round and was forced to forfeit.
Garth Moyle continued his strong season with a net 75 against Ron Venturi’s 82. Moyle controlled the match play portion 10-5 to collect all 4 points and remain firmly in the hunt near the top of the standings.
John Blady and Jim Shippen engaged in one of the day’s closest contests. Blady posted a net 71 compared to Shippen’s 74, earning the stroke play points. The two golfers finished even in match play, resulting in 3 points for Blady and 1 point for Shippen.
Frank Mancini added another impressive victory to his growing résumé this season. Mancini shot a net 74 against Bob Pierce’s 78 and cruised to a 10-5 match play victory, earning all 4 points.
The round of the day belonged to Ben Fong, who fired a remarkable net 65 against Mike Bogdash’s 83. Fong backed up the low score with a commanding 11-3 match play win to sweep all 4 points. The net 65 stands among the best rounds recorded this season.
In B Flight action, Rick Schultz continued his solid play by posting a net 73 against Dominic Scalfaro’s 77. Schultz secured an 8-6 match play victory to earn all 4 points.
Paul Frederic and Tony D’Ottavio battled to a complete deadlock. Both golfers carded net 78s, and their match play contest ended in a tie as well, resulting in 2 points apiece.
Joe Sheridan delivered another standout performance, shooting a net 68 against Tom Szkaradnik’s 79. Sheridan dominated match play 10-5 to sweep all 4 points and strengthen his position among the B Flight contenders.
The highlights of the day came from a pair of golfers who each recorded two birdies during their rounds. Jim Shippen birdied holes 8 and 15, while John Blady answered with birdies on holes 11 and 16, providing some of the most memorable shots of the week.
As the season nears its midpoint, the competition in both flights remains intense. Several players have begun to separate themselves from the pack, but with many weeks remaining before the playoffs, every point continues to carry significant weight in the race for the A Flight and B Flight championships.
Golfers interested in joining the league may contact Al Malatesta (malatesta9088@gmail.com), John Blady (john@swimusa.com), or Ben Fong (ben.fongmeister@gmail.com) for additional information.
