OLEAN, N.Y. — Kyle Henzel wasn’t sure what to expect.
He had taken over as tournament director of the Southwestern New York-Northwestern Pennsylvania Men’s Amateur Golf Tournament following the passing of his father, Chris, last February.
But what would the 84th renewal look like?
As it turned out, last week’s event emerged as one of the most successful in recent memory.
The field of 118 was the largest in 11 years, since the 2009 event attracted 126 participants. Equally impressive, a dozen former champions showed up for Tuesday’s annual Shootout at Bartlett Country Club, seven of them also playing in the tourney.
When it was over, two senior St. Bonaventure golfers put on an impressive show in Sunday’s 36-hole Championship Flight final.
Dan Gianniny, defeated 2003 champion Eric McHone, 6-and-5, in one Saturday semifinal, while best friend and housemate Jack Geise, downed fellow Bonnie, Jude Cummings, 3-and-1 in the other.
Gianniny, a +2 handicapper at the Country Club of Rochester, played 27 holes in a solid 3-over-par … and never had a chance. Geise, a +4 at his home course in San Diego, logged an impressive 10 birdies and shot 7-under par for the day en route to a 10-and-9 win.
Meanwhile, Marcus Aiello, who shot a 2-under-par 68 to win Wednesday’s medal round, only to be edged 1-up by Gianniny in the match-play opener, still earned a second trophy as he claimed the Consolation Flight in the tourney’s longest match, nudging Pennhills’ Doug Atteberry, 1-up in 23 holes.
In all, champions were crowned in 10 flights.
AFTER THE event, Kyle Henzel admitted, “I was overwhelmed with the entries … I didn’t anticipate that. Then we had a week of great weather and the course was amazing.
“I gave the pro (Dwayne Randall) a lot of leeway to do what he wanted as far as running the tournament and it went off without a problem.”
One of the oddities, though, was that as compelling as Geise’s performance was, and the fact he has family ties to Olean, only a small gallery was following him and Gianniny as many golf fans know them to be good players, but don’t have a personal connection.
“Still,” Henzel said, “people like (nine-time Men’s Amateur champion) Chris Blocher and (six-time winner) Dan Stetz were following them … great golfers enjoy seeing great golf.
“Meanwhile, there was a good crowd following (Olean High football coach) Phil Vecchio (winning the first flight) and (Holland Hills teenager) Kaylin Kline who became the first girl to win a flight (sixth) in tournament history.”
He added, “Marcus is a pretty well-known guy and because his match went five extra holes, there were about 80 or 100 people following it at the end.”
STILL, HENZEL is realistic.
“The field might have been an anomaly or an aberration because of Covid where fewer people are going on vacation and maybe were looking for something to do,” he said. “I don’t know if we’ll continue to get over 100 entries, but this was encouraging.”
Changes to the future?
“I’m going to send out a survey to everybody who played,” Henzel related. “And there are two things I’d like to pursue.
“One would be an over-60 senior flight with its own medalist. We’d have them play from the bronze tees, rather than the silver, which shortens the course by 800 yards. This course has always played long … in fact some people call it ‘the longest 6,300-yard course in the country.’ I know I’ve talked to Dan Reiley (1995 champ) and Jim Brady (1977, ‘85 winner) and both would love that format.”
Henzel’s other goal?
“I’d really like to institute online registration,” he said. “We’ve always done it by hand. But it would be nice for players to go on the website, designate the flight they want to play in if it’s not the regular tournament, add their handicap and have a clear-cut deadline. It would make for quicker sorting and easier organization.”
(Chuck Pollock, a Times Herald senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)
