It took a record-setting performance, but Dwayne Randall is back on top of the Blaisdell Open.
Randall, who also won the event in 2015, shot a record-low 64 and finished at 6-under par to narrowly edge Liam Friedman, of Concord, Mass., by one stroke to win the sixth-annual event at Pennhills Club and the $50,000 check awarded to the first-place finisher.
“It was a phenomenal day. The (Pennhills) course was in great shape, and it was just a perfect day,” said Randall, the PGA Pro at Bartlett Country Club in Olean.
The Olean resident had many ups — including eight birdies — and few downs on a day where it took setting a record score just to secure a victory. Randall previously had the event low of 66, but erased that on Tuesday with a round of 64.
His counterpart and event runner-up Friedman shot an impressive round of 65, which consisted of a pair of eagles — including one on the 18th hole — to finish at 5-under.
But as good as that performance was, it was simply Randall’s day.
Randall birdied the opening hole, but then followed it up with a bogey on the second. From there, it was almost completely smooth sailing for him, as he sank four more birdies on the front nine while bogeying just once more to enter the back nine at 3-under with a score of 32.
Then, he began the back nine with a birdie followed by a string of pars to keep at 4-under. He birdied again on hole 15 to go to 5-under, and that’s when Randall began thinking he had a chance.
“I knew I was in position because the previous low was a 66, and I thought, ‘Okay, I’m already there.’ So I just started thinking about making good, smart shots,” Randall said.
He parred the next two holes, and then birdied 18 to finish at 6-under with a tally of 64.
“On 18, I drove the ball right at the green pin-high, and then chipped it up to within two feet and made it to shoot 6-under,” Randall said.
Then came the really hard part — waiting for scores to come in from other golfers.
“I was never nervous on the golf course, but waiting for the three hours after completing my round was the most nervous I’ve been,” Randall said. “It was nerve-wracking, very nerve-wracking.”
But as the results came, Randall’s score stood as the winner. Friedman was second at -5 and Steve Scott of Winston-Salem, N.C. was third with a score of -4.
Randall says this year’s victory tops his first.
“Without question, this one was better. The first one is always great, but the most recent is the best,” he said. “It’s satisfying, for sure. The Blaisdell Open is one of the premier events of the country, and I’m grateful to be invited each year.”
The Blaisdell Open is part of a two-day event held at Pennhills. The first day, held Monday, featured a Pro-Am that consisted of teams made up of two pros and three amateurs. In total, 180 players came out for the first day.
In gross scoring, pros Rob McClellan and Gene Walter and amateurs Eric Schenfield, Brent Raabe and Doug Atteberry won with a score of -13.
In net, pros David Wedzik and Sean Moffat teamed with amateurs Dan Brinsky, Pat Vigliotta and Rich Brown to win with a tally of -22.
Day two features one of the region’s premier PGA club pro events. This year’s tournament drew 72 professionals from around the country, with players competing for a total purse of $100,000.
The event is named for Zippo founder George G. Blaisdell, a founding member of Pennhills Club and avid golfer. Today, Zippo sponsors the tournament in his memory.
For more information about the Blaisdell Pro-Am and Open, visit www.blaisdellproam.com.
