Rhode Islander wins 20th Dolphin Open
Joshua Tiberio of Rhode Island held off perennial winner Peter Gilchrist of Boothbay to win the 20th annual Dolphin Mini Golf Open by two strokes on Sunday, Sept. 8.
Tiberio, who won the 10-round Dolphin Open for the second time, led third-place finisher Nancy Gilchrist by one stroke after three rounds on Saturday, 101 to 102, with Peter Gilchrist only four strokes behind at 104.
After six rounds, Gilchrist passed his wife on the scoreboard and pulled to within two strokes of Tiberio, 204 to 206. Nancy Gilchrist fell to third at 210.
The seventh and eighth rounds finished up play on Saturday and Tiberio held a three-stroke lead over Peter Gilchrist, 270 to 273, with Nancy Gilchrist falling 12 strokes back at 282.
Peter Gilchrist could only make up one stroke in the final two rounds on Sunday and Tiberio won the $1,000 first-place prize, edging Gilchrist, 339 to 341. Nancy Gilchrist finished at 354.
Lee Stoddard, owner of the Dolphin Mini Golf, played in the tournament for the first time in years and finished in fourth place, following a playoff with Elmer Lawson of Pennsylvania. Both finished with 10-round scores of 359.
Raynor Lynn of New Mexico, who finished in a sixth place tie with Steve Hill of Maine, traveled the furthest to compete in the tournament. A total of 24 competitors participated in the tournament.
Stoddard offered a $100 prize to the person who finished in 20th place in celebration of the tournament's 20th anniversary.
“We had to have a playoff for that winner as well,” Stoddard said. “Chad Penman of Indiana ended up taking home the prize.”
Only four seniors competed in that division of the tournament. Ainsley McPhee won by two strokes in the three-game competition, 86 to 91, over Paula Stephens.
In the amateur division, only three players competed in the three-game format. David Smith won by four strokes, 85 to 89, over Eric Smith.
Aiden Stoddard was the only junior player.
“We might not have the amateur and junior divisions next year,” Stoddard said. “We have gotten fewer and fewer entries over the past few years.”
The tournament is also a fundraiser for the Shriners Hospitals. Stoddard was happy to report that the total amount of money that the tournament has raised for the hospitals in the past 20 years went over the $90,000 mark in 2013.
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