Showdown at Samoset:

 ’04 Winners Sisk, Gallo, O’Hair and Sykora in position for final event fireworks

September 28^th by Dominic Dastoli
 

            Rockport, ME-With Sean O’Hair threatening to end his two-year reign as the leading money winner on tour, Two-Time Player of the Year Geoff Sisk fired a methodical 5-under par 65 in the first round of the final Cleveland Golf Tour event of the year, the Samoset Open, and holds a one shot lead over Kyle Gallo.  Young gun O’Hair, who leads Sisk by a little more than $3,000 in the race for the money title and the $4,000 bonus check to PGA TOUR Qualifying School, lurks just two shots behind after a 3-under par 67. Three others also lie at 3-under par, including rookie sensation Justin Goodhue, Gary Carpenter, and Shannon Sykora, who is third on the money list.

            “We had a lot of real good momentum going,” said Sisk, who was paired with O’Hair and Sykora to form the marquee group of the day.

            Sisk struck quickly with a birdie at the first, made an 18-foot par save on the fourth, and added birdies on the fifth and sixth holes to reach 3-under par.

            Making the turn in 2-under par 32, he notched three more birdies on the back nine but failed to convert on several other opportunities.

            “I had a whole bunch of chances on the back side, I just didn’t get anything to fall,” said Sisk, the only multiple winner on tour this year.

            “I don’t look at this tournament any differently,” said Sisk, when asked how he was approaching this tournament with so much at stake. “You just have to keep hitting good golf shots. It’s a golf course that can get on you quickly.”

            Gallo, who stands fifth on the money list and has one Cleveland win to his name this year, joined Gary Carpenter as the only players to record a bogey free round.

            “Everything’s all working out the way it needs to be,” said Gallo, who hit 16 greens in regulation and shot a 3-under par 33 on the back that included a birdie on the difficult 478 yard, par 4, 18^th hole.

            O’Hair, meanwhile, was eager to bounce back from last week’s 17^th place showing-his worst finish of the year-and stuck a 9-iron to seven feet for an opening birdie he admitted served as a springboard for the rest of his round.

            “Starting off with a birdie was huge,” the Sterling Open Champion said afterward. “It got me back into the frame of mind that I’ve been in (all year).”

            O’Hair also picked up birdies on the fourth and fifth holes to reach 3-under par. Following a three-putt from twenty feet for bogey on the eighth, he rebounded with a birdie on the par 4, ninth hole to make the turn in 31.

            “If I just enjoy being in this situation, I’ll be fine,” said O’Hair, when asked how he would deal with the pressure of holding off Sisk for the money title. “I’m excited about the next couple of days.  I’m striking it well.”

            While O’Hair and Sisk were off and running early, Sykora, the other member of the “Big 3” pairing, struggled early and was 3-over par though five holes.

            “I just wanted to join the party,” said Sykora, who then reeled off birdies on six of the last 13 holes, including a seven iron to three feet on the difficult 18^th.

            Not long removed from an injury that required surgery, Sykora would like to cap off one of his better years with an exclamation point.

            “It’s been a much better year than last year,” said the Passaconaway Open Champion. “It’d be nice to finish off with a win.”

            Eric Egloff, who has won the past two events played at the Samoset, shot an opening 2-under par 68 and is tied for seventh

            In all, 24 players shot par or better on day one. After the second round, the field of 83 will be trimmed to the top 32 and ties, with players vying for a purse of $71,100 and a $12,500 winner’s check.