Fink, Helsley prevail in playoff at Summit Country Club
Trending
CRESSON -- Artie Fink Jr. has established himself as one of the legends in area golf circles.
Nick Helsley showed Sunday evening that he may possess the earmarks of someday becoming one.
Playing as a team for the first time ever, Fink Jr. and Helsley captured the championship in the 33rd Summit Country Club's Men's Golf Invitational by winning a one-hole playoff against their outstanding opposing team of Anthony DeGol and Quintin Dziabo.
The two teams were tied with identical scores of 134 after Sunday's second round, necessitating the one-hole playoff in the Championship Flight on the course's par 5, 550-yard first hole.
Helsley, a 2024 graduate of Bishop Guilfoyle Academy, put himself and Fink on the green with an excellent approach shot, then canned a birdie putt.
The DeGol-Dziabo team, which has established area excellence in its own right, parred the playoff hole, as the Fink-Helsley tandem scored the one-stroke victory.
Helsley expressed plenty of gratitude about having Fink -- who was one of only 156 golfers in the nation to qualify for the U.S. Senior Open earlier this year in Columbus, Ohio -- as a playing partner.
"It was really nice to win and awesome playing with this dude today,'' Helsley said of Fink. "He's the GOAT (Greatest of All Time).''
Fink -- a 2024 Blair County Sports Hall of Fame inductee for his achievements in golf and bowling -- had high praise for the 20-year-old Helsley.
"He's just coming on to the scene,'' Fink said. "He's going to be a force to be reckoned with.''
Fink Jr. and Helsley prevailed on a day in which the weather was a factor, as well as the marathon finish. The event was held up for an hour by an afternoon rainstorm, and the playoff hole was contested at near dusk.
"The grounds people here did a great job of keeping the course in playing shape with all the rain today, but Nick and I weren't out on the course yet when the rain held this up,'' Fink said. "So we spent that hour in the clubhouse.''
Fink and Helsley made up three strokes over Sunday's final 18 holes to pull into a tie with DeGol and Dziabo and force the playoff hole after both teams made a birdie on the 18th hole.
"Playing Quint and Anthony, you have to bring your 'A' game,'' Fink said. "We got off to a good start today, and we kept fighting. Anthony is probably the best player in Blair County, and when you're playing against him, you know that he is never going to go away.''
Helsley and Fink are both members of the Sinking Valley Country Club near Tyrone, and Helsley is grateful that players like Fink and DeGol have helped him to hone his craft on the golf course.
"I'm very thankful to be playing with Artie and learning the game from both of them,'' Helsley said. "They've been super helpful to me.''
The First Flight championship team was the duo of Nick Baum and David Snyder, while the team of R.J. Barnard and Brett Weibley won the Second Flight. There was a tie for the Third Flight championship between the team of Keith Frank and Mark Peters, and the team of Sam Mignogna and Matt Statler.
The team of Brandon Traficante and Eric Irwin won the Fourth Flight championship, and the team of Luke Rhodes and Max Soellner captured the Fifth Flight championship.
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
1, Artie Fink, Jr.-Nick Helsley, 64-70-134 (won playoff hole). 2, Quintin Dziabo-Anthony DeGol, 67-67-134. T3rd, Don Dimoff-Bobby Stiffler, 69-70-139, Wally Clapper-Spencer Hinish, 72-67-139, and Mike Macionsky-Sean Brannan, 69-70-139.
FIRST FLIGHT
1, Nick Baum-David Snyder, 68-64-132. 2, Jordan Albright-Oliver Harpster, 69-71-140. 3, John Lowder-Jason Metzger, 71-73-144. 4, Cody Clapper-Braedon Jarrat, 71-74-145.
SECOND FLIGHT
1, R.J. Barnard-Brett Weibley, 73-70-143; 2, Ken Fisher-Brandon Stephens, 71-72-143. 3, Mitch Johns-Henry Marche, 74-69-143. T4th, Justin Ohler-Jason Steinbugl, 73-74-147 and Eric Glunt-Dave States, 72-75-147.
THIRD FLIGHT
T1st, Keith Frank-Mark Peters, 72-77-149 and Sam Mignogna-Matt Statler, 72-77-149. 3, Mike Sgriccia-Tom Sgriccia, 75-74-149. 4, Justin DeGennaro-Nick Lytle, 78-77-155.
FOURTH FLIGHT
1, Brandon Traficante-Eric Irwin, 74-79-153. T2, Jason Bihary-George Bentley, 78-76-154 and Jim Smith-Bob Whiteman, 79-75-154. 4, Lucas Muffie-Ron Muffie, 78-78-156.
FIFTH FLIGHT
1, Luke Rhodes-Max Soellner, 79-80-159. 2, Ryan Link-Paul David Myers, 80-81-161. 3, Kevin Persio-Frank Szczechowicz, 78-85-163.