EDISON, N.J. (May 9, 2013) -- Scott Lipareli of Metuchen, playing in his first NJSGA Pre-Senior Championship, made the most of local course knowledge and rode an even-par 72 over the final round of the 36-hole 55th Pre-Senior to a four-shot triumph on Wednesday, May 8, at the par-72, 6,419-yard Metuchen Golf and Country Club in Edison.
Lipareli (3-over-par 75-72-147) punctuated his victory with a 20-foot putt for a double bogey on the par-3 18th hole after nerves got the best of him, to outlast both Harris Podvey of Rolling Green (77-74-151) and Tom Hassel of Manasquan River (76-75-151).
The final field of 43 players endured 4:15 of rain delays, first with a delayed start, then another delay once play had resumed.
Tied for fourth place were Michael Guli of Essex County (77-75-152) and Chris Housen of Manasquan River (74-78-152). Both Housen and first-round leader Bob Duenskie of Flanders Valley (72-84-156) were penalized two shots each for resuming play before the official restart.
“It almost seemed unfair, because this is a quirky little golf course and the greens are so fast, that I had an advantage of knowing where to hit it,” said Lipareli, an accountant who lives in North Bergen.
Lipareli, 45, is a native of Long Island and a former professional racquetball player. He joined Metuchen and the NJSGA in 2012 and failed to qualify for both the Mid-Amateur and the State Amateur. His Pre-Senior championship earned him exempt status into next month’s State Amateur at Hackensack.
Lipareli made the turn at two under 34 with three birdies against a bogey. He gave one stroke back with a bogey on the par-5 13th hole, but then came his decisive run of three consecutive birdies on the par-4 14th and 15th holes and the par-3 16th.
“I felt I earned this victory by going birdie-birdie-birdie on the back nine when the pressure was on,” Lipareli said. “I made some swing changes to get more of a full rotation on my swing. This is by far the biggest win of my career.”
Although he struggled with double bogeys on the final two holes, he drained the 20-footer on the18th hole to walk away with victory firmly in his grasp.
“It’s amazing what goes through your mind when you’re standing on the 18thtee in a tournament like this,” he said.
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ABOUT THE
New Jersey Pre-Senior
36 Holes, Stroke Play; Gross and Net Scoring.
A player must be between the ages of 45 and
54 years of age, or
have reached his 55th birthday (to include those
ineligible to participate in the Senior
Championship). After the first round, the field in will
be
cut to
40 players (plus ties)
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