Their most recent showdown for the 2021 club championship was no exception.
The trio engaged in a back-and-forth battle from start to finish in the final round, eventually reaching the climax with all three tied for first place heading into the final hole.
That was after Sentes led by three shots heading into Sunday’s final round. And Lepine led by three at the turn. And both Sentes and Lepine took turns having tough holes on the back nine as Muchowski just consistently rolled along.
Up-and-down from start to finish, one hole to decide it all.
In the end, it was Sentes who would come through with the big shot at the right time, dropping his second shot on the 390-yard par-four 18th to within 12 feet of the hole. One solid putt later, and the perennial Lynbrook men’s championship contender once again had his name on the trophy.
“Oh, it was a lot of fun out there, just like it always is when we play,” Sentes said with a grin shortly after clinching the title. “The heart gets pumping a little bit when it’s that close, but it makes it more intriguing, too. It makes you more focused on what you have to do and keeps you having to make shots.”
Sentes carded rounds of 71 and 73 for a 144 total, while Lepine shot 74 and 71 to finish at 145. Muchowksi shot 76 to open the event but carded the low round of the tournament at 69 to also finish at 145. He’d win the low net score with a 137 total.
Interestingly enough, all three players are more than familiar with their respective games, as they regularly take to the course on weekends.
“We golf every Saturday and Sunday together usually... it’s almost always close and always a good time,” Sentes said.
The women’s championship wasn’t quite as close, as Chantel Mack recorded back-to-back rounds of 76 to finish with a 172 total and a nine-shot win over Corinne Cobbe (94-87-181).
Mike Fitzsimmons shot rounds of 76 and 80 for a 156 total to win the Senior Men’s championship. And it was also as close as can be -- he took par on the 18th hole to win by a single shot over Terry Schick, who bogeyed the final hole in his second round.
The Super Senior tournament for players aged 70-plus also was won by a single stroke, this time with John Stirton shooting 76 and 81 for a 157 total and edging Jim Swaok (79-79-158) by one shot. Dwight Baron was third, two strokes back after shooting 81 in the first round and 78 in the second.
