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After finishing in second place in four Zigfield Troy Opens, including three times in playoff losses, Sumeet Arora of Woodridge, IL finally shed the bridesmaid title at the 2012 ZTO.  He did it in record fashion, tying the 9 hole and 18 hole course records set by Josh Butterfield in the 2006 ZTO.

In the opening round on Saturday, Arora was at 4 under par when he arrived at the 9th tee.  Before he left the tee, he had tied the 9 hole course record at 6 under par after aceing a sand wedge 86 yards into the hole tucked behind the right-hand bunker.  Ironically, after a bogey on the same hole the second time around, he totaled 1 under on his back nine to tie the 18 hole course record of 47, seven under par.

Arora never lost the lead on Sunday, but was tied for a short while with Chris Daly and Rick Grassel at 5 under with 5 holes to play. He put the tournament away with birdies on his 15th and 16th holes, and an easy par on the difficult 8th hole, his 17th of the day. Sumeet had a three shot lead as he stood on the tee of the final hole.  The 80 yarder again extracted some revenge on Sumeet as he missed the green and bogeyed, while playing partner Jason Buffone birdied, reducing his victory margin to one stroke.

It was an extra meaningful weekend for Arora for multiple reasons. First, because he wasn’t sure he would be able to compete in the ZTO after having to quit during the U.S. Publinx qualifying just three days earlier because of a pulled groin muscle. Second, because he was finally able to shed the bridesmaid’s label in the event he has tried to win since 2002.  Third, because he won in record tying fashion.  And fourth because he was victorious over Buffone, the two-time defending ZTO champion and recent Joliet Amateur champ, who had beaten Arora for the 2010 title in a one hole playoff and was trying to be only the second ZTO champion to claim three straight Zigfield Troy Straw Hats in the tournament’s 31 year history.

Special mention must be made of Tres Steffey’s six-under par 48 on Sunday.  The course is always set-up with longer tee shots and tougher hole locations for Sunday, and Steffey’s stellar round was three strokes better than any other competitor.

Meanwhile, Helene Ault of Downers Grove, IL repeated as champion in the Women’s Division, coming back from an eight stroke Saturday defecit to defeat first-round leader Kathy Braun 134 to 136.  Both winners of the Senior’s and Super Senior’s Division shot three-over par 111.  David Lee of Waukegan, IL, 2001 ZTO Champion, took the Senior’s Division, while Vince Militante of Darien, IL won the Super Senior’s Division.  Finally, Bret Hassels of Geneva, IL won the High School Division with a score of ten-over par 118.

The 105 entrants this year created the largest ZTO field in over a decade and the strongest field in its history.  74 players competed in the open division of the 36 hole tournament won by Arora.

2012 ZIGFIELD TROY 36 FINAL RESULTS

Place Contestant Score Final Score
1. Sumeet Arora 21/26 – 47, 28/27 – 55 102
2. Jason Buffone 26/24 – 50, 28/25 – 53 103
3. Cully Johnston 24/29 – 53, 28/23 – 51 104
3. Rick Grassel 27/26 – 53, 24/27 – 51 104
3 Chris Daly 25/24 – 49, 27/28 – 55 104
6. Tres Steffey 28/29 – 57, 25/23 – 48 105
6. Kirk Blakney 28/23 – 51, 26/28 – 54 105
8. Ryan Patera 26/24 – 50, 29/28 – 57 107
9. Larry Brady 27/28 – 55, 27/26 – 53 108
9. Aldo Buffone 27/25 – 52, 29/27 – 56 108
9. Josh Molnar 27/26 – 53, 29/26 – 55 108
12. Andy Roderique 28/26 – 54, 28/27 – 55 109
12. Burt Beyer 25/26 – 51, 30/28 – 58 109
14. Ryan Grassel 27/30 – 57, 26/27 – 53 110
14. Greg Roderique 7/25 – 52, 28/30 – 58 110
14. Josh Butterfield 30/27 – 57, 26/27 – 53 110
17. Lloyd Roth 27/27 – 54, 28/29 -57 111
17. Mark Bermele 25/26 – 51, 30/30 – 60 111
17. Alex Hallahan 25/29 – 54, 29/28 – 57 111
17. David Lee 27/28 – 55, 30/26 – 56 111
17. Vince Militante 26/26 – 52, 30/29 – 59 111
22. Jake Groselak 56/56 112
22. Victor Tyson 57/55 112
22. Steve Kois 55/57 112
22. Chris Beyer 56/56 112
26. Anthony Lodovico 55/58 113
26. Dan Moffett, Jr. 55/58 113
26. Bill White 53/60 113
29. Mark Arentsen 55/59 114
29. Gary Norgren 55/59 114
31. Robbie Pezza 57/58 115
31. Rob Hassels 56/59 115
33. Dustin Craig 56/60 116
33. Nick Szerzinski 59/57 116
35. Ryan Frederick 56/61 117
35. Gene Wensel 55/62 117
37. John Baer 58/60 118
37. Brian Barry 58/60 118
37. Kyle Grassel 57/61 118
37. Brett Hassels 58/60 118
41. Connor Harmon 59/60 119
41. Patrick Herrod 64/55 119
43. Angelo Barbaccia 58/62 120
43. Scott Chrenka 54/66 120
43. Tim Cordes 62/58 120
43. Joseph Fitzgerald 59/61 120
43. Patrick O’Brien 58/62 120
43. Ken Zilka 59/61 120
49. Matt Arient 61/60 121
50. Jim Cavanaugh 59/63 122
50. Chris Kelly 58/64 122
52. Kevin Becker 61/62 123
52. Claude Harmon 60/63 123
52. Eddie Lieser 62/61 123
52. Dan Moffett, Sr. 61/62 123
56. Brandon Bolling 58/66 124
56. Joe Getz 64/60 124
56. Austin Hart 56/68 124
56. John Kujawa 58/66 124
56. Thomas Varner 61/63 124
61. Phil Litchfield 60/65 125
61. Ken Toigo 65/60 125
63. Timothy O’Brien 60/66 126
64. Steve Brindle 60/67 127
64. Dan Litchfield 68/59 127
64. John O’Connor 63/64 127
67. Kevin Grizzoffi 61/67 128
67. Bob Vavra 62/66 128
67. Ryan Walaszek 64/64 128
70. Jim Bristow 65/64 129
70. Robert Castanares 63/66 129
70. Jim Krol 65/64 129
70. Kyle Krol 62/67 129
74. Hans Farley 59/71 130
74. Edward Fitzgerald 68/62 130
74. Brian Summers 59/71 130
74. Cal Thurlby 65/65 130
78. Jim Bailey 63/69 132
78. John Becker 70/62 132
78. Matt Runyon 63/69 132
81. Helene Ault 72/62 134
81. Jerry Hoke 66/68 134
83. Joe Przepiorka 66/69 135
84. Kathy Braun 64/72 136
84. Kevin Summers 63/73 136
86. Michael Walaszek 69/68 137
87. Darren O’Leary N/A 138
87. Ed Restificar 74/64 138
87. Charlie Reyer 67/71 138
90. Peter Hamot 70/70 140
91. George DiMatteo 70/73 143
92. Harry Spataro 73/71 144
93. Tracy Summers 77/73 150
94. Matthew Walaszek 74/77 151
95. David Walaszek 80/76 156
96. Allison Becker 85/77 162
97. Nick Schaeflein 90/80 170
N/A John Gollwitzer 54/WD N/A
N/A Dan Petrarca 65/WD N/A
N/A Bill Ruffin 68/WD N/A
N/A Gene Leeb 69/WD N/A
N/A Robert Clinton 74/WD N/A
N/A Julie O’Toole 80/WD N/A
N/A Russell Anderson WD N/A
N/A Debra DiMatteo WD N/A

Total Field: 105 players

 

ZIGFIELD TROY OPEN – WOMEN’S DIVISION

Place Contestant Score Final Score
1. Helene Ault N/A 134
2. Kathy Braun N/A 136
3. Tracy Summers N/A 150

 

ZIGFIELD TROY OPEN – SENIOR’S DIVISION

Place Contestant Score Final Score
1. David Lee N/A 111
2. Ken Zilka N/A 120
3. Joe Fitzgerald N/A 120

 

ZIGFIELD TROY OPEN – SUPER SENIOR’S DIVISION

Place Contestant Score Final Score
1. Vince Militante N/A 111
2. Gene Wensel N/A 117
3. Angelo Barbaccia N/A 120
4. Dan Moffett, Sr. N/A 123

 

ZIGFIELD TROY OPEN – HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION

Place Contestant Score Final Score
1. Brett Hassels N/A 128
2. Eddie Lieser N/A 123
3. Austin Hart N/A 124