Sean O'Hair	Shannon Sykora

O’Hair’s record 62 propels him to playoff win over Sykora
 

            Sterling, MA-Sean O’Hair fired a course record setting 9-under par 62 then made a par on the first playoff hole to defeat overnight leader Shannon Sykora and capture the inaugural Sterling Open. Sykora, who shot 63 in the second round to break the previous course record, closed with a 4-under par 67 to finish regulation tied with O’Hair at 14-under par. Brian Lamberti finished solo 3^rd in his Cleveland debut. Two-time player of the year Geoff Sisk finished one shot further back at 8-under par. Eric Egloff and Jeff Seavey finished tied for 5^th at 6-under par.

            “Everything went my way,” said the 22-year-old O’Hair, who notched seven birdies and an eagle on the day, including a closing birdie on the par 5, 18^th hole to finish at 14-under par.

            Playing in the final group, Sykora came to the 18^th tee one behind O’Hair. He then reached the green in two and two-putted from 40 feet for birdie to force the playoff.

            In the playoff, O’Hair hit his 2^nd shot on the par 5, 18^th hole into the greenside bunker. After a poor blast, he two-putted from 40 feet for par.

            Sykora, meanwhile, hit his third shot over the edge of the green and faced a delicate, downhill chip shot. After pitching to five feet, Sykora then missed the right to left par putt.

            “I should have played it outside” of the hole,” said Sykora, who won the Passaconaway Open earlier this year.

            Two shots ahead entering the final round, Sykora’s final round 67 should have been enough to fend off all challengers. But “there’s nothing you can do when a guy shoots 9-under on you,” said the veteran Sykora, who was looking to capture his 16^th victory as a professional.

            Having finished inside the top five in every tournament this summer, with just one victory to show for it, O’Hair can certainly empathize with coming up just a fraction short.

            “It’s tough to shoot 14-under and not win,” said O’Hair, the 6^th different winner in as many events on the Cleveland circuit. But “I’ve been there so I know how it feels,” he

added.

            Brian Lamberti, an assistant at the Nevele Grand-next week’s tour stop-, finished solo fourth in his Cleveland Golf Tour debut. “I loved it,” said Lamberti, of his experience this week. “The tour is really well run,” he added.

             With the win, O’Hair earned $12,500 and further strengthened his position atop the money list, which he now leads by over $10,000. On the season, he has made more than $34,000.