OLEAN, N.Y — Trent Unverdorben might know the greens at Bartlett Country Club better than anyone else.
As a member of the grounds crew at the club, he’s spent countless hours on the putting surfaces. And as the 88th annual SWNY-NWPA Men’s Amateur Golf Tournament shifted into match-play on day two, it was that expertise that helped see him take down Wednesday’s first-round, stroke-play medalist Michael Bucko (Links at Hiawatha) on the final hole.
Coming up to the 18th green, Unverdorben (Bartlett) and a large crowd around Bartlett’s clubhouse watched with bated breath as Bucko’s first putt was blasted past the hole and onto the fringe. After the murmurs died down, Bucko hit his second putt, which came to a screeching halt on the very front edge of the hole.
Bucko stood in disbelief and just like that, Unverdorben, who shot an 80 (10-over-par) and finished 11 shots behind Bucko in stroke play, secured himself a spot in the second round of the Championship bracket — all without needing to hit a putt on the final hole.
Unverdorben expressed some surprise after watching Bucko’s first putt sail past the hole. While he did admit some luck came into play for him with a good miss short of the green, he noted he didn’t allow his knowledge of the putting surfaces affect his shots beforehand.
“Even on 18, I came short, which was good, I wasn’t trying to come short, but I know that was good for me,” Unverdorben said. “(Bucko) smoked that putt on 18. He dribbled one in on 14, which was probably the same pace. It’s kind of an advantage, but not really. I still have to hit a shot.”
Once he is on the green, that is where the experience comes into play. The biggest thing for Unverdorben was just to put himself in a good position off the tee.
“I know the greens, it’s just getting off the tee is pretty much it,” Unverdorben said. “If I can get off the tee, I’ll be alright. Greens, that’s the easiest thing for me. I know them pretty good.”
For his round overall, Unverdorben was satisfied with the way he played. Aside from a double bogey on the first hole, he said “it was pretty much straight up pars” from then on out.
After his big win, Unverdorben stuck around with the remaining two of his foursome on the day, the tourney’s 2022 champion Spencer Cornelius (Pennhills) and Darien Swanson (Pinehurst), as they were unable to be split after 18 holes and required a playoff.
It took two more holes on top of the 18 in regulation for a winner to be declared between Cornelius and Swanson, and, just like in the matchup between Bucko and Unverdorben, it came down to the putting green.
Unverdorben said that he learned some valuable things about his opponent today in Swanson after watching him throughout the day. The first was that he was young. So, Unverdorben noted, if he can keep himself consistent and composed, he likes his chances.
This year’s Championship bracket had just four past winners of the event looking to add another trophy to their cabinets. Cornelius joins Andrew Frank (2008) as previous winners who have been knocked into the Consolation bracket so far with 2023’s winner in Corey Haas and 2001 winner Josh Anderson (2001) both still in the hunt for this year’s title.
Haas, the defending champion, defeated his opponent Justin Elder after going up seven holes with five left to play. Finishing in a tie for second on Wednesday’s stroke play opening round with a one-over-par score of 71, Haas noted that the mindset he had to approach Thursday’s game with was different with the different format.
According to him, there were times when what would have been smarter decisions got thrown to the wayside in exchange for more aggressive pursuits of the hole. The most important thing Haas found through his experience on the course was consistency being a top priority. If he was able to put himself on the dancefloor with a chance at birdie, he knew he could be the one turning up the heat.
“Match play is definitely a different beast,” Haas said. “You know, really, you’re playing less against the course and proper decision. If someone hits it close, you might be a little bit more aggressive just because of the situation you’re in. But really, I think just consistency in match play is the most important thing. Being in every hole, if you get the ball on the green in two, having birdie putts, you know it’s gonna put pressure on most of the day.”
Haas has been riding high all week and is approaching this year’s tournament with the mentality of going back-to-back. In the Shootout of Champions that kicked off the week ahead of the official tournament at Bartlett, Haas claimed victory in his first-ever attempt, emerging victorious over fellow past-winners Cornelius and Eric Mchone.
Since that point, he has carried momentum with him in every shot. And while every hole may not have gone his way, with a couple bad breaks causing him to lose out on winning the medal on day one, he has put those struggles behind him as he made the adjustment in Thursday’s round.
“You want to keep hitting more and more consistent shots,” Haas said. “The round yesterday, I had a couple bad holes on par-3s that really cost me the medal, which, again, it’s not important. But, today I got a lot more consistent with balls off the tee box. A lot nicer, a lot more close approach shots. Again, a very stress free round.”
Haas will take on Vinny Liguori (Edison Club) in the second round of the Championship bracket on Friday after he defeated Sean Campbell Thursday.
SWNY-NWPA MEN’S AM
Thursday’s Results
Championship Flight
T. Unverdorben 1-up over M. Burko
D. Swanson 20 holes over S. Cornelius
A. Rohrs 4-and-3 over E. Nenno
M. Davis 7-and-5 over J. Wright
K. McClain 4-and-3 over N. Swanson
N. Lyons 1-up over A. Frank
M. Moonan 4-and-3 over D. Lefebre
D. Bertoni 4-and-3 over C. Reiley
C. Haas 7-and-5 over J. Elder
V. Liguori 3-and-2 over S. Campbell
B. Haas 4-and-2 over M. Faulkner
J. Anderson 7-and-4 over B. Santana
S. Wang 1-up over Kal Logue
E. Steffen 3-and-2 over Kade Logue
S. Brady 1-up over K. Henzel
M. Aiello 2-and-1 over P. Byrne
Senior Flight
M. Brady 7-and-6 over M. Neary
J. Brady 4-and-3 over S. Kubiak
T. Hall Sr. 3-and-2 over W. Wachob
J. Henzel Jr. 3-and-2 over J. Chicola
First Flight
M. Beaver 1-up over E. Jennings
T. Scott 6-and-5 over K. Hanson
J. Padlo 6-and-5 over J. Worth
B. Forness 3-and-2 over L. Howard
A. Stoddard 6-and-5 over J. Palumbo
A. Murray 1-up over C. Crist
R. Lechner 2-and-1 over E. Jordan
E. McHone 2-and-1 over J. Goodenow
Second Flight
T. Hall Jr. 4-and-3 P. Jimerson
M. Schmidt concession over J. Glatz
G. Nelson 8-and-7 over D. Close
N. Cecchini 8-and-7 over C. Suhr
C. Fitzpatrick 5-and-4 over M. Peterson
O. Wright 2-and-1 over K. Johnson
M. Fuller 19 holes over J. Carls
T. Clancy 2-up over P. Vecchio
Third Flight
T. Jones 4-and-3 over L. Nedzinski
J. Chapman 6-and-5 over B. Streich
J. Livak 5-and-4 over T. Lewis
O. Malik 19 holes over D. Henzel
T. Salvaggio 2-and-1 over C. Padlo
R. Dwaileebe 2-and-1 over L. Brushingham
S. Moran 2-up over J. Giardini
S. Hnat 5-and-4 over RJ Pauly
Fourth Flight
J. Reynolds 1-up over J. Galvin
J. Morrison 2-up over B. Stevens
T. Padlo 1-up over D. Sherwin
M. Baire 20 holes over M. Hendrix
B. Colligan 5-and-4 over R. Jakubczyk
F. Higgins 3-and-2 over J. Morton
P. Bzdak 6-and-5 over D. McPeak
J. Orcutt 2-and-1 over M. Phillips
Fifth Flight
Byes: J. Obenrader, J. Day, C. Riekofsky, C. Butler
S. Foltz 6-and-4 over R. Streich
T. Kane 4-and-3 over M. Travis
C. Bartman 2-up over M. Hendrix
L. McArdle 2-up over C. Travis
Sixth Flight
J. Ezzolo 9-and-8 over V. Baire
T. Butler 4-and-3 over K. Logue
D. McHone 1-up over J. Williams
K. Boudin 3-and-2 over F. Hansen
FRIDAY’S PAIRINGS
Senior Flight
No matches today, two semifinal matches scheduled Saturday
Championship Flight
8:00 a.m.: K. McClain vs. N. Lyons
8:00: M. Moonan vs. D. Bertoni
8:10: T. Unverdorben vs. D. Swanson
8:10: A. Rohrs vs. M. Davis
8:20: S. Wang vs. E. Steffen
8:20: S. Brady vs. P. Byrne
8:30: C. Haas vs. V. Liguori
8:30: B. Haas vs. J. Anderson
Championship Consolation Flight
8:40: M. Bucko vs. S. Cornelius
8:40: E. Nenno vs. J. Wright
8:50: N. Swanson vs. A. Frank
8:50: D. Lefebre vs. C. Reiley
9:00: J. Elder vs. S. Campbell
9:00: M. Faulkner vs. B. Santana
9:10: Kade Logue vs. Kal Logue
9:10: K. Henzel vs. M. Aiello
Second Flight
9:20: T. Hall Jr. vs. M. Schmidt
9:20: G. Nelson vs. N. Cecchini
9:30: C. Fitzpatrick vs. O. Wright
9:30: T. Clancy vs. M. Fuller
First Flight
9:40: M. Beaver vs. T. Scott
9:40: J. Padlo vs. B. Forness
9:50: A. Stoddard vs. A. Murray
9:50: R. Lechner vs. E. McHone
10:00: Starter’s Time
Third Flight
10:10: T. Jones vs. J. Chapman
10:10: J. Livak vs. O. Malik
10:20: T. Salvaggio vs.. R. Dwaileebe
10:20: S. Moran vs. S. Hnat
Fourth Flight
10:30: J. Reynolds vs. J. Morrison
10:30: T. Padlo vs. M. Baire
10:40: B. Colligan vs. F. Higgins Jr.
10:40: P. Bzdak vs. J. Orcutt
Fifth Flight
10:50: J. Obenrader vs. S. Folts
10:50: J. Day vs. T. Kane
11:00: C. Reikofsky vs. C. Bartman
11:00: C. Butler vs. L. McArdle
11:10: Starter’s Time
Sixth Flight
No matches today, two semifinal matches scheduled Saturday
45-59 Consolation Flight
11:20: J. Worth vs. K. Logue
11:20: K. Johnsen vs. P. Jimerson
11:30: K. Hanson vs. R. Jakubczyk
11:30 J. Carls vs. J. Giardini
60-over Consolation Flight
11:40: RJ Pauly vs. M. Travis
11:40: M. Phillips vs. J. Morton
11:50: M. Hendrix vs. D. Sherwin
11:50: T. Lewis vs. D. McPeak
