Hernandez Fires 74, Osborne Big Skins Winner

Hello Everyone,

Hope you had a great weekend – and a good start to Thanksgiving week!

We had a great tournament at International Links last Saturday, with perfect weather and great course conditions!

Orlando Hernandez had the round of the day, firing a 3-over Par 74 to win the Palmer Flight by 6 strokes.  Stewart Whyte and Stephen Hagerman tied for 2^nd at 80.  Hernandez carded 5 birdies during the round, including back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 to finish.  After the round, Hernandez was especially pleased with his birdie on 18, which is a very tough finishing hole and played dead into the wind on Saturday.  Great round, Orlando! 

Gerard Osborne, playing in the Snead Flight, had the shot of the day.  He hit a 120-yard sand wedge (downwind) to within one foot on #17, which he tapped in for birdie.  The full story is that he hit that sand wedge from the 18^th fairway, over the trees and onto the 17^th green.  Since that was the only birdie in the Snead Flight – and there was $320 in rollover skins money from Emerald Hills – his birdie was worth $500!  Congratulations Gerard!  Capping it off, his final score of 93 was more than enough to claim first place in the Snead Flight, with Jorge Lorenzo finishing 2^nd at 96 and Martin Henry taking 3^rd with a 98.

Other winners included Jason Ellington in the Hogan Flight, who posted his 3^rd win of the 2013 Season – with over month remaining before we even get to 2013!  Ellington finished his round in 80 strokes, with Olivier Brion and Torrence Mack tied for 2^nd at 83.

In the Sarazen Flight, Jose Martin returned to Tour action to claim another trophy, shooting 86 to edge Brad Sunness by a stroke.  Brian Lynch finished third, another stroke back at 88.

In another close race, David Fraser won his first tournament of the season with an 88.  Brian Merkel finished 2^nd at 89 and Frank Lamadrid finished 3^rd with a 93.

Other skins winners included Jason Ellington in the Hogan Flight, who pocketed $160 for his two skins, and Torrence Mack, also in the Hogan Flight, who won $80 for his birdie on #12.  Brian Merkel had a hot hand in the Jones Flight, holing 3 birdies and winning $90.  Jack Abutbol, Gene Greystone, James Harris and Andrew Kowalczyk each won $45 skins in the Sarazen Flight.

Congratulations to all the Winners!  Next up is the Winter Championship at Innisbrook, followed by The Diplomat Challenge in Hallandale on December 8^th.

See you on the course!

Jeff