Weather makes for a fun day at Chardon Lakes...

Chardon, OH- Weather was the early story of the day as the Golf Channel Am Tour of Cleveland held its last regular season event at Chardon Lakes Golf Club this weekend.  Heavy rain and intermittent thunder and lightening caused a 30-minute delay during the early holes of the tournament before the resumption of play and brightening skies allowed for the completion of the event. The 21 players challenged the tight tree lined course which was built back in the 1930's and Jack Nicklaus still holds the course record at 67 from the tips of the 6800 yard course.

In the Palmer Flight, John Smallenburg (81) claimed a 1-stroke victory over John Hilinski (82).  Tom Betras finished 3rd shooting an 88.  Smallenburg and Hilinski went back and forth sharing the lead but neither player gaining more than a 2-stroke lead at any one time.  Finally on the 12th hole Smallenburg made par there to regain the lead.  Smallenburg and Hilinski then went back and forth winning the next couple of holes with pars and keeping the lead at 1 for Smallenburg allowing him to take the win down the stretch.

In the Hogan Flight, Jeff Mast won for the 4th time on the Cleveland Tour this season as he carded an 82 and won by 1-stroke over Abram Boyd (83) and Ed Ruper (83) who tied for 2nd place.  Boyd was tied with Mast going into the 17th hole while Ruper was 2-shots back.  Ruper birdied 17, Mast pared, and Boyd bogied which allowed Mast to take the lead on Boyd and solidified the win as all 3 made bogies on the par-4 18th to close it out.

In the Sarazen Flight, Christopher Ramaglia won for the 1st time on the Golf Channel Am Tour as he shot an 82.  He won by 3-strokes over Ben Hall in 2nd place with an 85.  Jason Morrison finished in 3rd place with an 88.  Ramaglia was steady as he made 9 pars in his round and scattered his bogies and 2 double bogies on his card for the win.

And rounding out the Jones Flight, it was Peter Gitnik who got himself a weekend double as he won the Pittsburgh event on Saturday and won Sunday as well at Chardon Lakes carding an 80.  Pat Herron finished in 2nd place with an 85 and Raymone Scott shot an 87 for 3rd place.  Gitnik coasted to his 5-stroke victory led by his front nine 39 and making birdie on the par-3 14th hole were highlights in his round.

Thank you to all the Cleveland Am Tour players who came out to our events this season.  We close out our season on Saturday, August 27th at Avalon Lakes Golf Club in Warren, Ohio for the Tour Championship.  The course at Avalon Lakes is a very popular course which use to host the LPGA when they came to Northeastern Ohio.  It is another challenging layout that is a great warm-up for those who plan to attend the 2011 National Championships.  The highest placed finisher in each flight who has not already qualified for the 2011 Nationals will earn a spot in the Championships from this event.