TYRONE - Artie Fink and Anthony DeGol each formed one half of the winning team at the annual Sinking Valley Country Club Two-Man Invitational the past two years.
When the two decided to play with each other this year, the result was predictable.
Fink and DeGol capped off their tournament victory with a final round 62 after shooting 66 and 65 on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The three-round total of 193 gave the twosome a seven-stroke victory.
"The first round Anthony played really well then Saturday it was me," Fink said. "[Sunday] we both got it going."
Last year, Fink teamed with William Smith to win the tournament. DeGol and Matt Moot took home top honors in 2010.
Fink and DeGol, a senior on the Penn State University golf team, set the pace from outset this year. An opening-round 6-under 66 gave them a three-shot lead over five other tandems that all shot 69.
Greg Ferguson and his son, Jimmy, a sophomore on the St. Francis University golf team, matched Fink and DeGol Saturday with a 65 of their own to remain just three shots back entering Sunday's final round.
The Ferguson team pulled within one stroke of Fink and DeGol after the first two holes Sunday but gave them right back with a bogey on hole No. 3.
"Those things tend to balance out throughout the day," Greg Ferguson said. "Finishing behind those two is nothing to be ashamed of. Between 12 and 15-under is pretty solid golf. We were 16-under."
Fink and DeGol birdied nine of the last 15 holes to pull away.
"We got on a really good roll and just seemed to feed off one another," DeGol said.
Wally Clapper and Spencer Hinish finished third with a 207, seven strokes back of the Ferguson team. Ryan Franks and Ed Gunkle came in fourth with a 208. Ryan DelBaggio and Chris Perry shot a 209 to take fifth place.
Fink and DeGol both competed in notable tournaments just days before the Sinking Valley event. DeGol played the first two rounds of the USGA U.S. Public Links Championship in Utah, and Fink competed at the 108th PNC West Penn Open Championship in Pittsburgh.
The two will play together again this weekend at the Park Hills Country Club Classic Invitational.
Championship Flight
Fink/DeGol 66-65-62-193
Ferguson/Ferguson 69-65-66-200
Clapper/Hinish 69-68-70-207
Franks/Gunkle 69-68-71-208
DelBaggio/Perry 69-70-70-209
DelBaggio/Ferguson 69-71-71-210
Pheasant/Strickler 70-68-73-211
Young/Ulrich 72-70-72-214
Fouse/Thompson 77-67-73-217
DelBaggio/Estep 73-69-77-219
First Flight
Gambacurta/Paylor 70-72-72-214
Hall/Genter 71-70-73-214
Danner/Walker 71-69-74-214
(Gambacurta/Paylor won playoff. Hall/Genter, Danner/Walker finish in second place tie)
Second Flight
Voltz/Hunter 70-66-69-205
Ritchey/Ritchey 72-69-72-213
Harbaugh/Ott 75-67-72-214
Third Flight
Haught/Mikolajczyk 70-70-71-211
Bickle/Bickle 73-73-70-216
Bierly/Smith 76-77-74-227
Fourth Flight
Sisto/Keith 81-71-73-225
Hinish/Hinish 76-76-75-227
Wertz/England 78-77-73-228
Fifth Flight
Wagner/Keiser 79-71-78-228
Ott/Myers 76-79-76-231
McKee/McKee 82-79-76-237
