TORONTO — The Golf Ontario Championship season kicked off on May 12, from Oakdale G&CC, in Toronto, with the Ontario Men’s Better-Ball Championship. The event was well contested again this year with 54 teams taking part.
Much like past years, 18 holes were not enough to crown a champion and the title went to a four-team playoff to determine the winners. At the end of the round, six-under (66) was the magic number to be part of the playoff. The teams of Etobicoke’s Simon Reyers (Brampton GC) and Kingston’s Peter Sauerbrei (Cataraqui G&CC), New Hamburg’s Josh Hunke (Deer Ridge GC) and Kitchener’s Ryan Kings (Deer Ridge GC), Woodbridge’s Philip Arci (Caledon Woods GC) and Barrie’s Ernie Vettese (Tangle Creek G&CC) and Oakville’s Scott Banks (Blue Springs GC) and Burlington’s Nicholas Freeman (Heron Point Golf Links) all went back onto the course to produce a winner.
On the first playoff hole, Arci and Vettese settled for a bogey and with the other teams making par on the hole, they were eliminated from the playoff. Then, on the second playoff hole, Sauerbrei stepped up from 30 feet and drained the lengthy birdie for the win. With that, Sauerbrei and Reyers hoisted the trophy as 2016 Ontario Better-Ball champions. The other three teams all shared the silver medal.
For full results an information, visit the tournament site at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao16/event/gao1621/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
About The Ontario Men’s Better-Ball
The Ontario Men’s Better-Ball Championship has been played since 1959. All but two of the championships have taken place at Oakdale G&CC. The tournament is open to teams whose members both have up-to-date Golf Canada Handicap Factor of 8.4 or less at the time of online registration through the completion of the championship and each team’s combined Handicap Factor must not exceed 12.8 at the time of online registration through the completion of the championship. Previous winners of the event include: Gary Cowan, Bill Morland, Nick Weslock, Kelly Roberts, Warren Sye, Bill Swartz and Albin Choi.
