Weekly Recaps

TONAWANDA, NY – The norm of Putter-In-Hand is not normal. Expect the unexpected. Accept that there will be controversies. Week-9 did not disappoint.

As PIH members gathered at the Grill for a pregame drink or two, (well, everyone but Shawn Conschafter that is) there was a definite buzz in the air. The week hadn't even teed off and already members were protesting the pre-putt scores that were being reported by league sources. The controversy had even caused tension between family members in the league.

At the center of the controversy was Scott Verost who, after 33 career rounds played, has an average of 44.330 and no green jackets. His best score was 38+1 in week-2 of this season. The reason for the controversy was his 35+2 pre-putt score he carded earlier in the day which followed a post-post score of 38+3.

"Bullshit." said none other than Mark Verost, Scott's younger brother. "I don't believe it for a minute. I demand the score be revoked and his tour card be suspend until a thorough investigation is done by the Supreme Court of Putter In Hand." Mark's accusations he says come from a lifetime of jealousy and competition among the four Verost brothers growing up in Grand Island.

"He's been doing this since I was 10 and was beating him at PIG in the driveway and Chutes & Ladders at the kitchen table." Mark explained. "I'm ahead of him in the standings and he knows the only way he can beat me is if he cheats. I'm telling you, there is no way he shot a 35 with 2 holes in one."

Scott was not at the Grill so he could not be immediately reached for comment. This matter would have to be put on hold and the putters, including Mark, would have to go on with the assumption a low number was already posted.

Clearly, Mark used this as motivation and for the first time this year, he broke 40! Mark shot an 8th place 39+1 making it the first time both Verost's broke 40 in a week.

The person that benefited most from Verost not being there was Jeff Hewett. Hewett shot a 36+2 to win his 4th career green jacket and moves into 1st overall by just a point going into the final week. Hewett tied a post-putting Pat Holden whose previous best score was a 39 and has never sniffed the prize money on any given week.

So, one would think Hewett would be happy with the finish and his place in the standings but that was not the case when he spoke to the media afterwards.

"No one wins two weeks in a row and it's a given that Mondoux will crumble. Everyone knows that. You might as well give Luke the title and not even putt!" said a not very confident Hewett as he walked away from the media room.

In other news:

As the scores rolled in there were some not so familiar besides Verost and Holden atop the leaderboard. Rob Vickers shot a 37+2 to record his best finish of the season as he took home 3rd place money. Vickers is making a push for rookie of the year honors and is the leading candidate over Dominic LoVallo who shot a 42+0.

Chris Wilkinson who has been a disappointment for much of 2022 finished in 5th with a 37+1. Wilkinson was a top-3 preseason favorite sits in 8th place overall.

How did Steve Steck do after he turned the putt-putt world upside down with his week-8 victory? Steck finished with a very respectable 6th place 38+1. This marked Steck's first back-to-back sub-40 rounds of his career.

Alone in 7th place was Mike Mondoux with a 38+0. Mondoux has struggled finding the holes-in-one ever since he rattled 3 in a row back in week-6. He has just one since and now sits in 3rd place overall just 4.5 points back of Hewett.

And rounding out the top-10 is Brenan Dracup who shot a career best 39+1 to tie Luke and Mark Verost in 8th place. Dracup's 39 was his first sub-40 round and his hole in one was his first.

Kelly Caito post-putted and she, along with Dracup, broke her hole-in-one virginity as she scored a career best 45+1 to finish in 22nd for the week...one place behind Steve Maziarz who again will claim to have "destroyed the girl". Caito is battling Maziarz for last place and sits 13 points behind Maziarz, a margin that is not impossible to make up in the final week.

Scott Wilson and Shawn Conschafter finished tied for 11th with 39+0. Despite this terrible finish by Conschafter, he does sit in 4th place overall just ahead of Tom Barbops who shot a 40+1 to tie with Harald Rehm. Barbops now sits in 5th place, 9.75 points behind Hewett.

In 13th place was John Coyle with a 40+2. Coyle seemed distracted all night as he could be seen pulling select members aside to discuss what he said was a "venture" and "an opportunity" of some sorts. He alluded to a "Major Announcement" coming Monday from the Four Season Hotel and Fun Center on Grand Island. One could only imagine what the Rudy Giuliani of the PIH world has in store.

In 17th was Joel Cady with a 42+1. Breaking from having to putt with Dracup was supposed to improve his score but that was not the case. Given the week-9 results, Cady seems to be the weak link in this pairing.

Tied for 19th with a 43+0 was Joe Neeson and Nick Keil. Neeson continues his roller coaster of a season while Keil continues to prove to be nothing more than a doner every week.

Rounding out the active putters was Bryan An with a 46+0. An has been a god surprise in 2022 but the season may be too long for him at his age. An has questioned league officials about the use of a caddy every week and was informed that they are totally legal. One would not be surprised to see An bring a helper the final week to help him achieve his life-long goal of a top-10 PIH finish. An currently sits in 11th, 1.25 points out of the top-10.

Jason Cox and Jim Neville did not putt and were given 48+0 scores. Likely better than what they would have shot so both must be good with the default score.