Shane Dobesh, right – a member of the RDGA eClub – scored his first RDGA victory on Sunday, May 24, defeating Oak Hill Country Club’s Shawn Baker, left, in the 2015 RDGA Match Play Championship at Ontario Country Club.
The third and final day of the 2015 RDGA Match Play Championships featured two deciding contests on Sunday, May 24 – for the Match Play and Senior Match Play titles – as perfect conditions prevailed at Ontario Country Club.
In the Match Play Championship, Shane Dobesh, an RDGA eClub member, survived an early scare in his contest with Oak Hill Country Club’s Shawn Baker to win his first RDGA title by a decisive 6-and-4 decision.
Dobesh fell behind Baker by 2 early in the Championship Match, but quickly righted the ship, and was 2-up at the turn. On the par-4 10th, Dobesh pulled his drive left into some trees, but he had enough of a shot that he was able to pull off a remarkable recovery, hitting his second shot to a few feet of the pin, where he made birdie and won another hole.
“I was way left. I hit an 8-iron up over the trees – I didn’t even think I could hit it that high,” he said. “But it landed 10 feet short of the hole, so I rolled that in for birdie and I was 3-up at that point and I felt pretty good.”
Dobesh won two more holes over the the next four, and closed out Baker on No. 14 to win, 6-and-4.
“I was playing pretty well – I made 5 birdies in 14 holes, so I couldn’t complain too much,” he added. ” I played well the whole week – it wasn’t like I got by with a bad round.”
Mark Battle, right, accepts the inaugural RDGA Senior Match Play trophy from RDGA
Board Member Mike Sorce, center, after defeating Stephen Schickler, left in the final
match on Sunday.
In the Senior Match Play Championship finals, past RDGA Senior Championship winner Mark Battle claimed victory over Stephen Schickler in the inaugural Senior Match Play Championship in a see-saw contest that came down to the 18th hole.
Battle, from Ravenwood Golf Club, and Schickler, from Churchville Golf Club, traded leads several times over the final match. After squaring the match at 16, Schickler found trouble off the tee on No. 17, eventually conceding the hole to Battle, who took a 1-up lead to the 18th. There, both golfers scrambled to find the hole after missing the green, but Battle claimed victory, winning the match and title by a 2-up margin.
“I’m lucky to win, I really am,” Battle said. “It could have gone either way out there today – hat’s off to Steve – he gave me a tough fight.”
Although he lost the title match, it was Schickler who may have given name to Battle’s unique accomplishment of winning both the RDGA Senior Championship and the RDGA Senior Match Play title – dubbing it the “Senior Slam.”
“I want to get back to those playing days.” Battle said, recalling his 2010 District Senior title. “Those were really good.”
In addition to Championship trophies, each of Sunday’s four finalists earned exemptions into the 2015 RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Memorial at Midvale Country Club in July.
Sunday Results from the RDGA Match Play Championship:
Final Match:
Shane Dobesh (RDGA eClub) d. Shawn Baker (Oak Hill CC), 6-and-4.
Sunday Results from the RDGA Senior Match Play Championship:
Final Match:
Mark Battle (Ravenwood GC) d. Stephen Schickler (Churchville GC), 2-up.
For complete bracket scoring for the RDGA Match Play Championship, click HERE.
For complete bracket scoring for the RDGA Senior Match Play Championship, click HERE.
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