Ahead of this weekend’s tournament, here is a look back on the results for the Pine Hills Invitational tournaments held in 1998 and 1973. Both needed sudden-death playoffs to determine a winner.
25 years ago …
Ottawa’s Bill Sipula defeated Schaumburg’s Mark Esposito on the first sudden-death playoff hole to capture the championship in the 50th annual event. Sipula and Esposito each carded 106s to pace the 108-member field as the tournament was shortened to 27 holes due to 2 1/2-hour lighting delay during Sunday’s play. Sipula had also won the title in 1986. The top 10 scorers were all within two stokes of the leaders, with first-round leader George Glickley (Chicago), Bob Christensen (Aurora), Steve Kwasigroch (Highland, Ind.) and Mike Stone (Chicago) tying for third with 107s. Steve Cisco (Palatine) won the senior division with a 109, and Jim Waring (Pine Hills) the super-senior division with a 111.
50 years ago …
In what could be one the greatest finishes in the history of the event, first time entry Bruce Houdek, of Schaumburg, who tied the course record with a 66 in Saturday’s opening round, and Bloomington’s Mike Milligan put on quite a show in the 25th annual tournament that boasted 124 entries. Houdek and Milligan each finished regulation play with 142s, but it wasn’t until dusk that the former sank a par putt on the seventh hole of sudden-death play that the outcome was decided. Joe Maccono (Pine Hills), John Harrison (Forest Park) and Ted Meier (Joliet) all shot 147s to tie for third. Nello Campagni (Highwood) posted a 148 to claim the senior division championship.
