Estevan's Anthony Melle finished with back-to-back birdies on the way to collecting his first victory at the Oilfield Technical Society's annual golf tournament at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club over the weekend.
He struggled throughout the weekend on the front nine holes, but made up for it on the back. On Sunday, after posting a 40 on the front, he shot 33 on the back with five birdies on his way to a 73, one shot ahead of Mike Ross and Scott Dutton.
"I started slow. I think I was 11-over combined for the two rounds on the front nine and I was seven-under (on the back)," said Melle after Sunday's round. "I don't know. There's a little more shot shaping. I drove the ball really well on the back, and I just had short wedges in and made my putts."
He knocked his tee shot on the par-3 17th hole to within a couple of feet to make birdie.
"I knew Mike had me by one going into 18. I was over (the hazard) in two and so was he. But he chipped on and three-putted. I hit a bad chip to about 25 feet and drained the putt, so I didn't know how I was looking but I played well on the back."
After opening Sunday four over par, Melle said he wasn't particularly discouraged considering how he played the final nine holes the day before. He had good feelings and felt comfortable on Woodlawn's newest holes.
He missed a short par putt on 10 but made up for it on the driveable 11th hole, which he hit with a 3-iron.
"From there I just started making birdies," he said, adding that golfing with Ross helped him elevate his game. "Playing with Mike, he's a good competitor and I play better when I'm playing with better golfers."
Finishing second place was Ross, who was the leader going into the last few holes but fell out of the lead after bogeying his final three, which Melle played in two under par. Ross shot a 74 on Sunday.
Dutton finished third, shooting a 74, but that was after getting off to a hot start on the front nine, posting a 34.
There were 16 qualifiers in the championship flight, though the weekend saw one of the biggest registrations the tournament has ever seen, with more than 400 golfers teeing it up in either the 36 or 18-hole event. The 18-hole tournament was won by Matt Lamb, who posted a 72, ahead of Oscar Alvarez, 73, and Rob Peloquin, 74.
"It feels pretty good. I'm happy. My uncle won it back in the early-90s in between the Scott Blackstock eras, so I had to get one," Melle said, noting this year marks his fourth attempt in the tournament, having finished second place last year.
"I felt like I had to win my group and then get lucky because the guys behind me are really good golfers."
