Past champions prevailed at the 27th Cape Coral City Championship
Past champions prevailed at the 27th Cape Coral City Championship last weekend at Coral Oaks Golf Course. It just wasn’t the men’s and women’s defending champions.
Jim Marcelak, who won the title in 2013 and placed second two other years, outdueled 18-year-old Eric Costa on Sunday. The two entered the final 18 holes tied after first-round 74s. Marcelak wound up winning by six strokes when Costa faltered over the final four holes to fall into a second-place tie with two others. Marcelak wound up with a 36-hole total of 3-over-par 147.
Two-time champion Gina Falvey returned after a two-year hiatus to win again Sunday, carding a 36-hole total of 163 to beat defending champion and Cape High player Brooke Ciccone at 170.
“We maxed out at 184 (players) and we actually had 185 playing,” said head pro and tournament director Allen Manguson. “If we had more sunlight we could accommodate about 260.”
As it is, it was the largest field in tournament history for the second straight year.
“I was down by three after the first hole, but I knew it was going to be a long day. Again, patience is the key to coming back,” Marcelak said.
After the turn on the back nine Costa, a freshman at FGCU playing in his first City Championship, still held a one-shot lead. That held until Marcelak birdied No. 14.
Holes 15, 16, and 17 proved to be Costa’s undoing. He shot double, triple, and double bogeys to fall out of contention.
“(Costa) is a great player. He hits the ball farther than I do, but he just wasn’t as accurate today. He’ll get that worked out,” Marcelak said.
Approaching the last hole, Marcelak knew he had a comfortable lead.
“I used enough club to hit it over the water and stay out of trouble,” he said.
Asked if he would be back to defend his title, Marcelak replied, “This is a tremendous tournament. Allen (tournament director Manguson) and his team make it fun to play. The only thing preventing me from returning will be if my son is playing college football next fall, and I go to his game.”
Tim Murphy achieved a rarity in the Championship flight. Murphy (161) won the low senior award for the fifth year in a row. He describes himself as a self-taught player who loves to compete. He played in his eighth City tournament this week and has been playing for over 30 years.
“The wind out there today made the course play long,” said Murphy, who finished 10th overall. “I attribute my winning to staying hard at it, and practicing.”
Mark Ludden was the winner in the A Flight. He shot 73 Sunday to overtake and beat his friend and first-round leader Phil Everhart by three strokes.
“I told him (Everhart) last night that I was coming after him,” Ludden said. “I hit the ball really well all day. I kept it on the fairways and greens and didn’t get into a lot of trouble today. I’ve been playing this tournament for 20 years and never won, so this feels really good.”
Matthew Dodge won B Flight by two strokes over John Young 170-172. Mike Tamulionis did the same in C Flight over Shawn O’Connor 167-169. And D Flight went to Ed Crann at 184 in a one-hole playoff over Steve Nance.