Seiler-Smith hold on to win Bluestone Member-Guest title

OXFORD – It was an emotional weekend for all of the Seilers, who were mourning the death of family patriach Jack Seiler, who passed away Saturday.

Todd Seiler, one of Jack’s son’s, and partner Bryan Smith, took a one-shot lead into the final round over Todd’s brother Scott and his partner John Byroads. In a dual befitting the excellence of each team, a birdie on the 18th hole sealed the Todd Seiler-Smith title by two shots in Sunday’s final round at the Bluestone Golf Course Men’s Member-Guest championship.

Seiler and Smith shot a 9-under-par 61 to finish at 14-under-par. Seiler and Byroads had a final-round 62, and were within one shot of the lead entering the last hole. “There are a lot of people here that we know and that Jack knew,” Todd Seiler said. “I knew it was going to be hard seeing everybody.”

Jack Seiler brought his love of golf to his family, and no less than four of the nine championship flight teams were headed by Seilers. Kenny Seiler and his partner Dave Popovich tied for third with Rick Race and Jerry Birdsall at 8-under-par. Defending champions, Scott Seiler Jr. and Lee Skillin wound up fifth.

On this day, though, it was clear that Todd Seiler and Smith were comfortable in the front-runner’s role, and a one-shot lead over Seiler and Byroads to start the day grew to as many as three on the front nine. “For the most part, we played pretty well,” Smith said.

“I figured it would be back and forth throughout the round, and they kind of got off to a slow start,” Todd Seiler said.

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After a bogey on eight for Seiler-Smith, their lead was down to a pair of strokes. From there, the scorecards for each team were marked with red numbers.

Seiler-Byroads rolled in an eagle putt on the par-five 12th hole to temporarily tie for the lead. A moment later, Seiler-Smith matched that eagle putt to regain the two-stroke advantage.

Seiler and Smith tossed in birdies on the 13th and 14th holes only to see their challengers match those birds. Seiler and Byroads narrowed the margin to one with a birdie on the par-three 15th setting the stage for nail-biting finish.

Scott Seiler narrowly missed chipping in for eagle on the par-five 17th that would have forged a tie. Each team settled for birdie heading to the final hole

Scott Seiler hit his 120-yard approach to approximately 12 feet for a birdie, while Seiler-Smith just missed driving the downhill par-four, and chipped to within five feet. Byroads and Scott Seiler each missed their birdie putts to tie, and Todd Seiler calmly rapped in his three to finish off the victory.

It was the first member-guest title for Seiler-Smith, who will team up in the Canasawacta Country Club Member-Guest tourney in three weeks. Last year, Skillin followed up his Bluestone title with a championship at C.C.C. That fact was not lost on Seiler and Smith, who hope to duplicate Skillin’s feat. “At least that’s the plan,” Smith said.

In other flights: Brothers Keith Finch and Jason Finch emerged from a one-hole playoff to defeat Dennis Smith and Matt Pierson in the first flight. Each team shot 6-under-par 64s to tie at 5-under-par for the tourney. Smith and Pierson, chipping from just off the green, tucked their shots close to set up an easy par putt. Jason Finch, looking at an 18-foot right-to-left putt, ended the playoff when he drained the birdie. “Our putting was clutch all day,” Keith Finch said. ... In the second flight, Tom Muserilli and Drew Seiler shot a 4-under-par 32 on the back nine to shoot a 66 in the second round edging the father and son team of Brad Aldrich Sr. and Brad Aldrich Jr. by one shot. Muserilli-Seiler had birdies on the 12th, 15th, 16th, and 17th holes. ...Hugh Witchella and Mark Philpott won a tightly-contested third flight. Witchella and Philpott had a 2-under-par back nine highlighted by a birdie on 10 and an eagle on 12 to shoot a 68 nipping 2009 flight champions Joe Pastore and Keegan McCumiskey by one shot. Placing third another shot back was the pairing of Tim Roberts-Marty Bevilacqua. ...Brian Willis and John Pickering were even par on the front nine, and shot a 71 to take the fourth flight by two shots over Dave Utter and Rob Hill.

Tournament Scoring

Championship Flight

Todd Seiler-Bryan Smith 65-61-126

S. Seiler Sr.-J.Byroads 66-62-128

R. Race-J. Birdsall 68-64-132

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K. Seiler-D. Popovich 68-64-132

C. Palmer-T. Calice 70-64-134

S. Seiler Jr.-L. Skillin 70-66-136

G. Wood-D. Caldwell 69-72-141

T. Farrell-M. Flanagan 70-72-142

First Flight