Hilliker Captures Travel League’s ‘Uncle Buck Classic’

The winners of the coveted Uncle Buck Hats were Josh Hilliker, A Flight; Joe Woloszyn, B Flight; Tim Walawender, C Flight; and Joe Bifaro, D Flight, at the Wednesday Travel League’s third annual Uncle Buck Classic at Chautauqua Golf Club’s Lake Course last week.
Submitted photo

CHAUTAUQUA — The Wednesday Travel League held its third annual “Uncle Buck Classic” at Chautauqua Golf Club’s Lake Course, honoring the loving memory of longtime league cornerstone Edward “Butch” Mackowiak.

The overall low score was a 73, carded by Josh Hilliker. Robert Calph was second with 76 and Bob North was third with 79. Flight winners were Hilliker (A), Mark Orlando (B), Tony Destro (C) and Joe Bifaro (D).

The winners of the coveted Uncle Buck Hats were Hilliker (A), Joe Woloszyn (B), Tim Walawender (C) and Bifaro (D).

Untied birdies were recorded by: A Flight — Hilliker (Nos.1 and 18), Joe Jusko (No. 2), Dave Wallace (No. 5), Calph (Nos. 6 and 11), Tom Destro (No. 10) and Jeff Nelson (No. 13); B Flight — Seb McAfee (No. 4), John Bongiovanni Jr. (No. 5), Doug Grace (No. 6), Ron Szach (No. 9), Orlando (No. 10), Gary Haase (No. 12) and Woloszyn (No.17); C Flight — Jack Hood (No. 1), Tony Destro (Nos. 2 and 13), Phil Hopkins (No. 3), Mark Mackowiak (No. 8) and Bryan McCarthy (No. 10); D Flight — Dave Franklin (No. 1), Pete Pinkoski (Nos. 2, 3 and 8), Bob Kujawa (Nos. 5 and 14), Kevin Voss (Nos. 6 and 18), and Bifaro (Nos. 7 and 13).

Closest to the pin were: Calph (No. 4), Hilliker (No. 6), Mackowiak (No. 8), McAfee (No. 12) and Jusko (No. 15). Winners of the Steeplechase were: Hilliker (A Flight), Woloszyn (B), Tony Destro (C) and Bifaro (D).

In the 2-Best-Ball contest, the team of Hilliker, Szach, Hopkins and Gary Hazelton made a clean sweep, winning the low front, the low back, and low total scores. The winners of the Commemorative Uncle Buck Ball contest were the team of North, Pinkoski and Mike Willoughby.

Top point winners were Calph (79), McAfee and Mackowiak (68 apiece), Hilliker (62) and Pinkoski (57). Season points leaders (through 12 events): 1. Hilliker (398), 2. Haase (242), 3. Calph (211), 4. Nelson and Pinkoski (158 apiece), 6. Wallace (138), 7. Tom Sacilowski (131), 8. North (123), 9. Ed Tofil (116), 10. Kujawa (94). Calph moved past Al Etzel for sixth place on the All-Time Points List. Haase became the 12th golfer to reach 3,000 career points.

This week the league will hold its second major event of the season, the “New York Open,” at South Hills Country Club in Busti. The first tee time is at 9:30 a.m.