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DALLAS TWP. — As childhood friends, Jeffrey Carter and Kris Konicki have played a lot of golf together.
Until this year, rules of the event have prevented them from doing so in the Potentate Tournament at Irem Temple Country Club.
Making the most of their first chance to enter the tournament as a team, Carter-Konicki played their way into the Championship Flight during Friday qualifying, then navigated the match play bracket as the 10th seed out of 16 teams, beating four straight higher-seeded opponents.
Carter-Konicki secured the title Sunday afternoon with a 4 and 3 victory over senior club champion Jim Breck and John Mulhern, who won titles in 2011 and 2014.
The 20-year-old Carter, who is captain of the Penn State/Wilkes-Barre golf team, and 21-year-old Konicki came out on top of a tournament that has been dominated by the club’s more experienced players in recent years.
With Carter playing the tournament for the second time and Konicki the third time, they were able to get through a semifinal match against 2013 champions Scott Francis-Lou Belgio, who were in the semifinals for the fourth straight year.
“We didn’t expect to even be contenders into the second day, but we just played our way through,” Carter said.
The toughest match play step was the first one. Carter’s 12-foot birdie putt on 18 provided a 1-up victory over Coray Mitchell Sr.-Coray Mitchell Jr.
Carter-Konicki beat second-seeded Gary Sagan-Bill Lydick in Saturday’s quarterfinals.
The champions took control of both Sunday matches early.
Konicki’s eagle on 4 was followed by Carter’s birdies on 7 and 9 in the semifinal.
“We just kept it rolling until we were three up with two to play,” Konicki said.
By the time they hit the turn Sunday afternoon, Carter-Konicki were 4 up and the title just seemed to be a matter of time.
“Going into the back, it’s nice to have the lead,” Carter said. “Once you get to three or four, that’s really nice to have.”
Mulhern’s birdie on 10 cut the lead to three, but Carter got a wedge to two feet from 55 yards on 11 to restore the four-hole lead.
“Then, you just have to make pars,” Konicki said.
That’s exactly what happened as the teams matched pars for three straight holes.
Carter, Konicki and Mulhern all had birdie putts in the 20-foot range at 15.
When Konicki, who had the last try at birdie, left his about 18 inches away, Breck and Mulhern conceded the match-ending par.
The big lead at the midway point was produced with the help of three birdies in four holes early.
Carter put his approach within five feet on 3. Konicki reached the par-5 fourth in two shots and put his long eagle attempt within three feet for the birdie. Carter made a birdie from the back fringe on 6.
“I saw a double break, so I played it within the hole and hit it firm, knowing I had the flagstick there if I needed it,” Carter said of the putt on 6.
Konicki made the Championship Flight the previous two years, playing with his father, John Konicki, a frequent contender the last 30 years who was back in the championship flight with David Kern this year.
“He pretty much taught me everything about the game,” Kris Konicki said of his father, who followed him through the final holes of the title.
POTENTATE TOURNAMENT
Championship Flight
Sunday Results
Semifinals: Breck-Mulhern over Wills-Wills; Carter-Konicki over Francis-Belgio.
Final: Carter-Konicki over Breck-Mulhern,
Other Flight Champions
First – Brett Slocum-Jim Hoover; Second – Gary Krawetz-Marty Behm; Third – Chad Kelly-Dave Straley; Fourth – Bill Lozo-Ed Lozo; Fifth – Joe Ryan-Trevor Woodruff; Sixth – Don Hopkins-John Sileski; Seventh – Allen Evans-Charlie Preece; Eighth – Dennis Wengrzynek-Henry Simoncavage; Ninth — Pete Wiegus-Rick Franks; Tenth – Clarke Feldman-Dave Grega.