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James Gardas, Eric Williams capture
state Better-Ball Championship

  HAWLEY, Pa.–Eric Williams of Honesdale, Pa., and James Gardas of Hawley, Pa., carded a final-round 68 to finish at 5-under par and capture the 19th Better-Ball Championship at Woodloch Springs (par 72, 6,554 yards) on Thursday. It was the first State Better-Ball title for the duo, but back-to-back team victories. The pair won the Anthracite Golf Association’s Better-Ball Championship two weeks ago.

  Williams and Gardas entered the final round two strokes back of co-leaders Adam and Jason Cohan of Wayne, Pa., and George Troutman of New Cumberland, Pa., and Ed Knoll of Etters, Pa. Those two duos carded 3-under-par 69s in the first round on Wednesday.

  The Cohan brothers would eventually finish tied for second after a final-round 72 with Greg Ulp of Camp Hill, Pa., and Jeff Ernst of Carlisle, Pa. Both teams finished at 3-under par. The Troutman/Knoll team carded a second-round 75 and dropped into a tie for seventh.

  “We had very high expectations coming into this event, not only due to winning two weeks ago, but this is pretty much our home course,” said Gardas. Both play out of Honesdale Golf Club but Gardas has been the general manager at Woodloch for five years and has been working at the club for 15 years. “We just had to go out there and play golf.”

  Gardas and Williams have done well in the state better-ball over the past few years. They lost in a playoff in 2006 and finished ninth a last May.

  “Six-under par was our goal going into the final round,” said Gardas, “because we knew how good the Cohans were. We also knew that it only takes one bad hole on this course to either get a few strokes back or totally give it away.”

  That seemed to be the case on the front side.

  Williams and Gardas carded a birdie on the 499-yard, par 5, 7th hole, while both Jason and Adam Cohan put their drives out of bounds and scrambled to a double-bogey seven.

  “The course played a lot faster today with it being very windy both days,” said Gardas. “We really look forward to this event every year. It’s great to win it when it’s in your backyard.”

  The Better-Ball Championship heads to Huntingdon Valley Country Club, in Huntingdon Valley, Pa., next year.

Name

Club

Rnd 1

Rnd 2

Total

Williams, Eric W. / Gardas, James M.

Honesdale Golf Club

71

68

139

Ulp, Gregory / Ernst, Jeff

Country Club of Harrisburg

73

68

141

Cohan, Adam / Cohan, Jason

Talamore Country Club

69

72

141

Kline, Jr., Alan R. / Bohn, James D.

Bucknell Golf Club

73

69

142

Strohl, David / Blichar, David J

Moselem Springs Golf Club

70

72

142

Ross, Patrick D. / Nelson, Peter

PGA Individual Member

72

71

143

Corbett, Brian T. / Gill, Robert

Huntsville Golf Club

73

71

144

Knoll, Edward H. / Troutman, George E.

Deer Run Golf Club

69

75

144

Boyer, Bennett S. / Pugh, R. Scott

Country Club of Harrisburg

72

73

145

Lawler, William P. / Gregorczyk, Edward

Fox Hill Country Club

71

74

145

Davis, Christian S. / Dougherty, Matt S

Glenmaura National Golf Club

73

73

146

Geldhof, Gary / Hazzouri, Jr., Dr. Albert A

Glenmaura National Golf Club

74

72

146

Dorminy, Marty / Orr, Scott

Golden Oaks Golf Club

75

72

147

Dietrich, Matt / Simmons, Jim

Whitford Country Club

74

74

148

Shoup, Andy / Barkley, Jason

Brookside Country Club of Allentown

72

76

148

Vassil, Michael J. / Domanish, Michael J.

Country Club of Scranton

75

73

148

Gast, Corey / Kliewer, Craig S.

Meadia Heights Golf Club

72

76

148

Kilduff, Lynn T / Tarutis, Peter

Huntsville Golf Club

73

75

148

Prowant, Zachary P. / Choate, Warren J.

Williamsport Country Club

76

73

149

Cuddy, Matthew R. / Brunn, Jr., Art

Huntsville Golf Club

77

72

149

Miller, Chance W. / Cabry, Sean T.

Meadia Heights Golf Club

76

73

149

Kondracki, Anthony G. / Elias, George

Fox Hill Country Club

73

77

150

Rattigan, James G / Metza, Jeffrey

Schuylkill Country Club

74

76

150

Hoover, Matthew J. / Answini, Mark

Fox Hill Country Club

77

74

151

Howe, Thomas / Tamblyn, Jeff

Honesdale Golf Club

78

73

151

Sweeney, John K. / Campbell, Robert G.

Lancaster Country Club

78

74

152

Williams, Irv / Simons, Robert

Honesdale Golf Club

74

79

153

Llewellyn, Tim / Maurer, Matthew

PGA Individual Member

76

79

155

Nangle, Scott D. / Petrarca

Eagle Rock

82

75

157

Mahlstedt, Brian / Coldwater, Connor

Glen Oak Country Club

82

81

163

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