Races Tighten During First Round of Medal Play Fall Finish Playoffs

Palm Desert, CA, August 11, 2010 --(PR.com)-- The Medal Play Golf Tour returned to action with their 8th event of the season at Desert Willow’s Firecliff course on Sunday. This event was the first round of the “Fall Finish” playoffs, a tournament within a tournament to determine the Player of the Year in each flight. “Players grinded all year for playoff seeding, and that seeding paid off for some today as many of the leaders had off days,” commented tour director Blane Freytag. “With only two event left, and those events being worth double and triple points, anything can happen,” added Freytag.

Thomas Tennison wasted no time moving up the leaderboard after being promoted to the A Flight for the playoff race. Tennison edged out Shaun Clark on the card playoff for the victory after both gentlemen posted net 73s. Jay Rein, also recently promoted to A Flight for the playoffs was 3rd. Flight leader Julian Hernandez still holds the top spot by a slim margin heading into SilverRock.

B Flight was like match play as Brian Curci and Scott Butterfield went head to head. Curci built an early lead only to see Butterfield come back strong on the final holes to catch him. Both ended up with net 76s with Curci winning the card playoff to add to his lead atop the standings.

Lee Woodard has had the hot hand in D Flight as of late, and continued his hot streak Sunday by firing a net 68 to win by 4 shots. Jack Martin and Greg Mokler both finished with net 72s with Martin edging out Mokler in the card playoff for 2nd. Rick Lehman finished third. Alexander Maese still sits atop the playoff standings, but saw his cushion evaporate after an off day at Desert Willow.

Daniel Grow broke through with his first win of the season in E Flight by posting his best round ever on tour shooting a net 68. Daniel jumped in the standings after the win and put himself into contention heading into the final two events. David Onken has been playing well of late and notched 2nd place firing a net 70. Paul Jurkofsky and Thomas Vail went to a scorecard playoff after both shot net 71s. Jurkofsky won the card playoff to take 3rd place points. Virgil Mink still sits atop the standings of this very competitive flight heading into round 2.

F Flight also saw match play type conditions as Chuck Thomas and tour newcomer Greg Widman went into battle. Thomas shot a net 75 to edge Widman by two shots and earn his first win of the season. The win shot Thomas to second place in the standings right behind the leader Michael Tocchini. F Flight is certainly a tight race now.

Complete results are available at www.medalplaygolftour.com. The tour returns to action with the second round of the “Fall Finish” Playoffs at SilverRock Resort in La Quinta, CA on August 22nd. Details are on the tour website.

Top Flight Finishers (Net)

A Flight

73 – Thomas Tennison
73 – Shaun Clark
78 – Jay Rein

B Flight

76 – Brian Curci
76 – Scott Butterfield

D Flight

68 – Lee Woodard
72 – Jack Martin
72 – Greg Mokler

E Flight

68 – Daniel Grow
70 – David Onken
71 – Paul Jurkofsky

F Flight

75 – Chuck Thomas
77 – Greg Widman

###