Jim Coutu shot a 2-under-par 69 to claim the Joe Fiero Jackson City Senior Championship at Sharp Park Golf Course on Sunday. Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports.
By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports
(July 24, 2022 4:11 PM) Local golfer Jim Coutu shot a 31 on the back nine at Sharp Park Golf Course to claim the Joe Fiero Jackson City Senior Championship on Sunday.
Coutu birdied three of the last five holes to finish with a round of 2-under-par 69 to claim his first individual major golf title in Jackson County.
First-round leader Steve Maddalena and Greg Zeller finished tied for second with 1-under-par 141s, Mike Raymond shot 145 in the 36-hole tournament, and Tim Pickering finished at 147.
Coutu had won a two-man event with Tom Butterfield prior to COVID-19.
He shot a 38 with four bogeys on the front nine, but turned it around on the last nine holes with four birdies.
“I have played in a lot of competitions where it has been a tale of two nines,” Coutu said. “Good players score consistently.”
Coutu hit the flag on hole No. 17 giving him a 10-inch birdie putt. His wedge on 18 ended up 8 feet from the hole for another birdie.
He birdied three of the final five holes for the win.
“I made three of five birdie chances on the final five holes,” Coutu said. “I have learned a lot from watching some of the top area players navigate around the golf course.”
Harold West backed up his win in the Jackson County Senior Open first flight at Cascades Golf Course with a win in the 60-Plus Division at Sharp Park on Sunday. He finished with rounds of 71 and 72 to tally 143. He shot a 1-under-par 34 on the back nine to earn the win.
Dave Calderone finished second at 145, Bill Scheele tied for the low round of the day with a 69 to finish third at 146, and Nathan LaZebnik was fourth a 148.
Here are the results for the two-day tournament:
Joe Fiero Jackson City Senior Championship
At Sharp Park Golf Course
Age 50-59
Jim Coutu 70 69 139
Steve Maddalena 67 74 141
Greg Zeller 69 72 141
Mike Raymond 72 73 145
Tim Pickering 73 74 147
Paul Varner 75 74 149
Chris Lingo 78 72 150
David McDevitt 80 74 154
Bob Varner 78 78 156
Rusty Whisman 77 81 158
John Tarpley 88 74 162
Greg Marsh 83 89 172
Age 60-69
Harold West 71 72 143
Dave Calderone 72 73 145
Bill Scheele 77 69 146
Nathan LaZebnik 75 73 148
Dave Clark 76 75 151
Mike Zuchowski 76 76 152
Tom Tarasiewicz 76 76 152
Rick Frinkle 76 79 155
Jerry Fitzpatrick 82 79 161
Tom McConeghy 84 80 164
Jeff Steers 82 83 165 *
Johnny Fry 83 90 173
Greg Miller 107 98 205
*Editor’s note: JTV’s Jeff Steers not only photographed and covered both days of the tournament but competed admirably as well.