Pleczkowski upsets Sowards in extra holes at PGA Match Play Champ'ship

 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Jake Pleczkowski of Siasconset, Massachusetts, upset three-time Champion Bob Sowards of Dublin, Ohio, in a 21-hole duel while 1999 Champion Jerry Tucker of Stuart, Florida, and Roy Vucinich, the oldest player in the field, scored decisive second-round victories Wednesday in the 52nd PGA Match Play Championship presented by Premier Golf and GOLF ADVISOR.

 

Pleczkowski, a 28-year-old PGA Assistant Professional at Sankaty Head Golf Club, parred the third extra hole to down Sowards, the reigning PGA Professional Player of the Year, in the longest match yet in the Championship.  Vucinich, 67, a PGA Life Member from Moon Township, Pennsylvania, defeated Jason Martin of Wheeling, West Virginia, 5 and 3. Tucker, a 65-year-old PGA Master Professional, beat Michael O’Connor of Erie, Pennsylvania, 4 and 3.     

 

“The pins were in the toughest spots that they have been so far this week,” said Pleczkowski, who advanced last year to the third round. “The wind was really whipping up out there, and that makes it tough to approach the spots you want on these greens. It was good to get four rounds in last week in the Stroke Play Championship. That helped get me ready for this week.” 

 

Among other Wednesday matches, Rick Schuller of Chester, Virginia, the 2009 Champion, edged JC Anderson of O’Fallon, Missouri, 1 up in 20 holes; Brian Cairns of Walled Lake, Michigan, beat co-medalist Charles Raulerson of Fleming Island, Florida, 5 and 4; and Gregory McClimans of Clearwater, Florida, downed Kirk Stauffer of Bradford, Pennsylvania, 1 up in 20 holes.

 

Pleczkowski and Sowards exchanged the lead seven times in their marathon match. Pleczkowski (“Plez-kow-ski”) made a 25-foot eagle putt on the par-5 No. 10 hole to go 1-up before Sowards won the 11th  and 13th holes to retake the lead. Pleczkowski birdied the 16th from five feet to level the match, and they both made pars on the last two holes before heading to sudden death. 

 

Returning again to the front nine, Pleczkowski hit his tee shot to the fringe and 25 feet below the flag on the 198-yard No. 3 hole. Sowards’ tee shot landed over the green, from where he chipped six feet short of the hole. Pleczkowski two-putted for par and Sowards missed his par putt.  

 

Vucinich, a two-time Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year, also is a two-time PGA Match Play runner-up. “I’ve enjoyed this Championship and have played well in spots,” said Vucinich. “This course is playing long, and I have to be good off the tee to have a chance. The golf course is great, and the greens are fabulous.”  

 

The 52nd PGA Match Play Championship is the final event of the PGA Winter Championship season. It features a total purse of $23,500. Third-round and quarterfinal matches will be conducted Thursday, followed by the semifinals and the Championship match.

 

52nd PGA Match Play Championship

Presented by Premier Golf & GOLF ADVISOR

PGA Golf Club – Port St. Lucie, Florida

Dye Course – Par 72, 7,017 yards

Second Round

 

Brian Cairns, Walled Lake, Mich. def. Charles Raulerson, Fleming Island, Fla., 5 and 4

Kyle Baehler, Greenwich, Conn. def. Liam Friedman, Lackawanna, N.Y., 2 and 1

Kevin Savage, Baldwinsville, N.Y. def. Patrick Massi, Greenwich., Conn., 2 and 1     

Jerry Tucker, Stuart, Fla. def. Michael O’Connor, Erie, Pa., 4 and 3

Jeff Sorenson, Blaine, Minn. def. John Kerins, Hermitage, Pa., 2 and 1

Adam Rainaud, South Hadley, Mass.  def. Ed Kirby, Wakefield, R.I., 1 up (19 holes)

Ryan McClintock, Bettendorf, Iowa def. Dwayne Randall, Clymer, N.Y., 1 up  

Kyle Higgins, Massapequa, N.Y.  def. Kirk Hanefeld, Acton, Mass., 1 up

Jake Pleczkowski, Siasconset, Mass. def. Bob Sowards, Dublin, Ohio, 1 up (21 holes)

Rich Berberian, Derry, N.H. def. David Carich, Noblesville, Ind., 5 and 4

Joshua Rackley, Jupiter, Fla. def. Matthew McAdow, Woodmere, N.Y., 2 and 1

Gregory McClimans, Clearwater, Fla. def. Kirk Stauffer, Bradford, Pa., 1 up (20 holes)   

Rick Schuller, Chester, Va. def. JC Anderson, O’Fallon, Mo., 1 up (20 holes) 

Roy Vucinich, Moon Township, Pa. def. Jason Martin, Wheeling, W.Va., 5 and 3

Shawn Warren, Cape Elizabeth, Maine def. Grant Sturgeon, Port Chester, N.Y., 5 and 4

Pete Catanzaro, Hartsdale, N.Y. def. Gary Trivisonno, Aurora, Ohio, 4 and 2