Bill Emerson didn't just putt well in this weekend's Moon Brook Country Club Member-Guest Invitational.
In the words of his partner, Mike Barber, ''the guy was a genius.''
Sparked by Emerson's brilliance with the flat stick, the tandem combined to shoot a net best-ball 66-65-64-195 to post a four-shot victory on Saturday over the team of Randy Ordines and Brian Eccles, who came in with a 64-67-68-199.
Article Photos
Mike Barber, left, and Bill Emerson took the overall title at the Moon Brook Country Club Member-Guest Tournament that concluded on Saturday.
P-J photo by Scott Kindberg
''I had the speed down, there was a lot of right-to-left (break) and I saw the line,'' said Emerson, a 6-handicap at Moon Brook. '' ... It was unbelievable.''
Barber, an 11-handicap playing out of Conewango Valley CC, was even more direct.
''He's the best putter to ever walk the face of the earth,'' he said. ''And I'm not kidding at all.''
In a three-team tie after two rounds with Ordines and Eccles, and Anthony Peppy and Damon Patel, Emerson and Barber were on fire after nine holes on Saturday, opening up a seven-shot lead as Emerson recorded a blistering even-par 36 on his own ball.
Ordines and Eccles went birdie-eagle-birdie during one stretch on the back nine to close the gap to two shots after 13, but that was as close as they would get to the leaders the rest of the way. For good measure, Barber, thanks to crushing his drive and hitting a nice 7-iron from 170 yards, knocked in an 18-foot putt from the fringe for a net eagle on the 18th hole, a 450-yard, par 4. That meant that the friends, who have known each other since they were in kindergarten, walked off the green with the overall championship.
Peppy and Patel led the First Flight with a 64-67-73-204, followed by Paul Pappalardo and Andy Palermo with a 66-68-74-208. Anthony Cusimano and Andy Benson topped the Second Flight with a 66-68-66-200, eight shots in front of Ben Toter and Larry Ammons, who carded a 69-70-69-208.
Jason Stronz and Kevin Stronz (71-66-68-205) needed a three-hole playoff to secure the win in the Third Flight over Mike Moyer and Tom Moyer (69-64-72-205).
In the Fourth Flight, Jon Gren and Greg Viechnicki carded a 75-67-68-210 to edge Henry Mole and Jack Munella, who shot a 72-71-68-211.
In the Fifth Flight, Joe Federico and Randy Johnson placed first with a 75-66-67-208, five shots better than Jeff Keppel and Jerome Davis, who registered a 75-68-70-213.