ORE HILL - Artie Fink says Jimmy Gillam is the best golfer in the area.

Few people would argue that, either, but, if Gillam is No. 1, Fink is probably 1A. And, together, they make an outstanding team.

The Altoona duo teamed up to win their third straight Iron Masters Classic over the weekend, topping the teams of Bubba Miraglia and Richie Head and Frank Frontino and Bernie DiLoretto by three strokes in the 33rd annual two-man best-ball event.

Fink and Gillam posted a three-day total of 198 with rounds of 63, 67 and 68. Actually, Friday's first round was the difference. Miraglia and Head opened with a 66 and followed with rounds of 67 and 68. Frontino and DiLoretto started slowly with rounds of 70 and 69 before shooting a final-round best 62 on Sunday.

Both Fink and Gillam bemoaned their putting woes.

"It was a frustrating day," Fink said. "He [Gillam] is hitting it really solid, and I'm just trying to help him when I can. We both hit pretty good today, and couldn't buy a putt.

"It was just one of those days where you try to grind your way through it."

Fink said Saturday's round was similar to Sunday's. He and his partner hit the ball but had trouble putting.

"The first day we made what you're supposed to make," Fink said. "After that, it was a struggle."

Gillam has won five straight years at Iron Masters. He and John Handrigan won in 2005 and 2006, and Fink has been his teammate for the last three in a row.

"[Iron Masters] fits me really well off the tee," Gillam said. "I'm pretty good at courses where you have to position yourself from the tee box for your second shot or your approach.

"I usually putt well here, but I didn't the last two days," the Coker (S.C.) College golfer said. "I hit the ball really good - I might have missed five greens in three rounds - but I just didn't make any putts."

The course also suits Fink's game.

"If you hit it solid, you're going to have a lot of birdie opportunities," Fink said. "Jimmy and I can take advantage of our length a little bit, and eat up the par 5s.

"He's probably the best player in the area so it's always good to play with him. We mesh well."

Fink, who has won his share of area golf tournaments as well, is one of the top all-around athletes Blair County has seen in quite awhile. He's one of the area's top bowlers, having competed in some regional pro tours, and he was an outstanding baseball and football player at Altoona High in the late 1980s.

"I'm still bowling a little but I'm basically an overage golfer now," he said, laughing. "I like it, though. I could play seven days a week, year round."

Fink and Gillam will team up again next weekend for the area's final two-ball tournament at Summit Country Club in Cresson.

"Summit is definitely a little more difficult course," Gillam said. "It's longer and it's only a two-day tournament so it's kind of a shootout, and everybody has a chance."

"I'm looking forward to [Summit]," Fink said. "Hopefully, we can take advantage of our length ... and make some putts, too.

"Plus, it should be a stronger field so it should be interesting."

Tourney notes: Kent Smith of State College fired a hole-in-one on No. 13 Sunday. ... Smith was playing in the third flight with partner Jim Bierly. ... Championship flight included 16 teams. ... There were 106 teams in the seven other flights.

Championship flight: 1. Artie Fink-Jimmy Gillam 198; 2 (tie) Bernie DiLoretto-Frank Frontino and Bubba Miraglia-Richie Head 201.

First flight: 1. Adam Ritchey-John Bankes 203.

Second flight: David DeGol Jr.-Jesse Auker 214.

Third flight: Steve C. Metzger-Steve M. Metzger 214.

Fourth flight: Keith McGraw-Wes Shaw 212.

Fifth flight: Bucky Miller-Ron Long 218.

Sixth flight: Joe Wilson-Mike Blattenburg 208.

Seventh flight: Gary Kennedy-Randy Jarratt 228.