Golfers tee off in Connecticut (09/01/91)

Golfers tee off in Connecticut

HARTFORD, Conn. - Rain on the day of the Hartford Ukrainian Golf Open has become somewhat of a tradition.

And, this year was no exception. For the eighth time in 13 years of the tournament, rain greeted golfers when they arrived at Tallwood Country Club in Hebron, Conn.

It rained the morning of August 3, but by the time all 90 golfers had teed off in the early afternoon, the wet weather had subsided and everyone was able to finish the 18-hole round.

There was a three-day tie for low score of the day (77) with Zenko Jarema of Enfield, Conn., winning the first-place trophy by virtue of a birdie-4 on the first hole.

Mr. Jarema beat Mike Demetro of Southington, Conn., the 1983 winner of this tournament, and John Yetishefsky of Glastonbury, Conn.

Mr. Demetro took second, winning on the fifth hole in a match of matching cards, with a par to Mr. Yetishefsky's double bogey-6.

Mr. Yetishefsky, a member of Tallwood, played in a club tournament on the morning of August 3, and then came out in the last group.

Lubko Luzniak of Cooper City, Fla., shot 78. Joe Posposil of Newark, N.J., was next with an 81. Bohdan Kolinsky of South Windsor, Conn., and George Baer of Philadelphia, a four-time winner of this tournament, each shot 82.

In the low net division, Orest Petrenko of Maryland was first with a 71. Lubko Luzniak had 72 and third place was a tie among Bohdan Anniuk and Orest Leskiw, both of Philadelphia, and Orest Budas of Wethersfield, Conn.

There was also a competition for non-Ukrainian participants. Sam Ruggerio and Mike Gallon, both of Hartford, each shot 77. Mr. Ruggerio won by matching cards. Rick Descoteaux, Joe Canzanella and Larry Fritz, all from the Hartford area, each had a net score of 71, but Mr. Descoteaux won by matching cards.

In the ladies' division, Liz Mielcarz of South Windsor, Conn., shot 90; Jill Kolinsky, also of South Windsor, was second with 96. Elaine Boldi of Stafford, Conn., was low net winner; Rena Fritz of Rocky Hill, Conn., was second.

Mr. Anniuk, who won the Florida Open in May and then the Philadelphia tournament on June 15, will lead a field of about 30 into the first Ukrainian Golf Association of America (UGAA) championship weekend on September 13-14 in upstate New York.

The two-day tournament will begin with an 18-hole round September 13 at Grossinger's Resort in Liberty, N.Y., and conclude with 18 holes at the Nevele Country Club in Ellenville, N.Y. Several different packages are available. More information may be obtained by contacting Rom Luzniak, 10154 SW 51st St., Cooper City, FL 33328; (305) 434-3565.