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Fort Knox Garrison Commander Colonel Eric Schwartz presents the gold medal to Luke Rutterer. |
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Threatening skies at Fort Knox held off just long enough for more than 60 Special Olympics golfers and Unified Partners to complete their rounds and find precious metals of their own at the Lindsey Golf Course on Fort Knox on Saturday, Aug. 22.
Following a welcome from Fort Knox Garrison Commander Colonel Eric Schwartz, golfers and skills competition participants took to the course, finishing their rounds right before rain and high winds swept through the area.
And once again, this year's State Golf Tournament produced some of the closest competition in the event's history. Nowhere was that more evident than in the top flight of the Men's Individual Stroke Play competition. Burlington's Chris Revay has had a stranglehold on that event for almost 10 years, but this year Eric Duncanson of Bardstown came oh so close to unseating him. The two reached the 388-yard ninth hole in a dead heat. Revay managed a bogey 5 on the final hole to shoot 42 and narrowly edge Duncanson.
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Eric Duncanson of Bardstown prepares to hit his
tee shot on the first hole. |
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That was just one of six matches determined by two or fewer shots. In fact, both Men's Individual Stroke divisions were determined by two-shot margins. In the other flight, Luke Rutterer of Fort Mitchell fell behind Alexandria's Jude Zilliox on the first hole, but rallied— thanks in large part to a par on the 174-yard par 3 eighth — for the win.
In the Unified Team Alternate Shot Competition two flights came down to just one shot. In Flight 10, athlete Mark Klingenberg and his father David of Fort Thomas opened an early lead on Steve Haven of Burlington and partner Carol Ann Haven of Petersburg and held on for the gold medal as the Havens made a furious comeback. In Flight 8 it was the opposite story as Jeremy Thompson and partner Kevin Parnell of Lexington overcame a four-shot deficit to overtake Brad Harkleroad and partner David Hill of Louisville in their matchup.
Following the rounds, Colonel Schwartz returned help present awards to the athletes.
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Brad Harkleroad of Louisville and his partner David Hill
talk about their tee shot. |
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This marked the third time the State Golf Tournament had been held at Lindsey. The course hosted the 2006 and 2007 events before the Tournament made a one-year stop at Kenton County Golf Course in Independence.
Our thanks to everyone who made the State Golf Tournament a success, especially Lindsey Golf Course Pro Clyde Hill and his staff, Colonel Schwartz and the men and women of Fort Knox and all of the volunteers who came out to help this year.
The 2009 State Golf Tournament was sponsored by Texas Roadhouse, Kroger, The Kentucky Law Enforcement Torch Run, the Kentucky PGA and the Frankfort Civitan Club.
For more information concerning the State Golf Tournament or the Special Olympics Kentucky golf program, contact Greg Shanks at
800-633-7403 or via e-mail at gshanks@soky.org.
Individual Skills
Flight F1 — Myra Groce, Lexington
Flight M1 — Jonathan Craw, Louisville
Flight M2 — Tyler Gwinn, Fort Knox
Individual Stroke Play
Flight F01 — Christy Farwell, Alexandria
Flight M01 —Chris Revay , Burlington
Flight M02 — Luke Rutterer, Ft. Mitchell
Unified Team Alternate Shot
Flight F01 — Annettea Thomasson, Utica, and Ada Dame, Calhoun
Flight F02 — Cassi Eiseman, Lakeside Park, and Katherine Hensley, Covington
Flight F03 — Vickie Wagner, Newport, and Debbie Staggs, Florence
Flight M01 — Grant and Garry Gupton, Louisville
Flight M02 — Josh Alexander, Union, and James Moore, Burlington
Flight M03 — Carson Murray, LaGrange, and Chris Karem, Louisville
Flight M04 — Jesse Pennington, Louisville, and Andrew Dages, Louisville
Flight M06 — Andrew Browning and Mark Buerger, Lexington
Flight M07 — Matt Ison, Union, and Dave Zimmerer, Florence
Flight M08 — Jeremy Thompson, Lexington, and Kevin Parnell, Centerville, OH
Flight M09 — Morgan Turner, Lexington, and Warren Matherly , Danville
Flight M10 — Mark and David Klingenberg, Fort Thomas
Flight M11 — Keith and Robert Shirley, Florence
