First a historic playoff and now a 'pairings party' for River Cup Senior golfers

By Steve Stein

History was made last year in the River Cup Senior competition.

For the first time in the competition's 26-year history, a playoff was needed to determine the champion.

Team Tazwood finally won on the second playoff hole at Lick Creek Golf Course in Pekin, ending Team Peoria's seven-year winning streak that began in 2018.

It took a 5-1-1 run by Team Tazwood in the final seven singles matches last year to tie the competition at 9-9 and send it into the playoff, which consisted of playing the 18th hole twice with two-man teams.

Derek Anderson -- who was playing in the Senior competition for the first time because he turned the minimum age of 50 after playing for several years in the River Cup Men's competition -- sank an 18-foot birdie putt to win the match for Team Tazwood.

More history will be made this year when the Senior golfers collide June 13 and 14 at Coyote Creek Golf Course in Bartonville.

After the teams compete in six pre-determined two-man best ball matches June 13, they'll gather to watch the pairings put together for 12 singles matches June 14 by Team Tazwood captain Eric Dicks and Team Peoria captain Tim Walters. 

The singles matchups normally are determined prior to the tournament.

"It'll be a pairings party," Dicks said. "Hopefully the guys will stick around for it after the best ball matches. Doing the singles pairings at that point will be different and fun. We'll try it and see if we like it."

Walters, a longtime captain like Dicks, likes the new twist but is focused more on his team starting a new winning streak.

"Tazwood had their best team in a long time last year and they won on their home course," Walters said. "I was thrilled we were competitive enough to tie them, but I hate losing, so it hurt."

Dicks and Walters had a friendly exchange during a post-playoff awards ceremony in the Lick Creek clubhouse.

"I told Tim we were coming for you this year," Dicks said. "This was a victory that we wanted and needed. Thanks, Tim, for finally giving us a taste of victory."

Walters smiled and replied, "Don't enjoy it too much."

Team Peoria is the underdog again this year, Walters said, but it plans to use that motivation to its advantage.

"They're getting younger and we're staying old," he said about his team's underdog status.

"Plus, we're missing two of our top six players (Mark Greskoviak and Rod Jackson), who are unable to play this weekend."

Pat Greenan was recruited as an alternate for Jackson.

Dicks isn't buying Team Peoria's underdog status.

"They have another good team, and so do we," he said. "They're always good. It's going to be a dogfight."

This is the first of four consecutive years that Coyote Creek will host the Men's, Senior and Junior River Cup competitions. Dicks and Walters each applauded the idea.

"Guys love the course because it's always in great shape," Dicks said. "They play it a lot because it's a public course."

Here are the pairings for the first day of the River Cup Senior competition:

JUNE 13
(Team Tazwood golfers listed first)

BEST BALL
-- Tom Oshinski/Tim Taylor vs. Rick Lehew/Jeff White, 10:00 a.m.
-- Tim Saurs/Eric Dicks vs. Tom Hammerton/Tim Walters, 10:10 a.m.
-- Chris Frasco/Barry Neal vs. Tim Krause/Jeff Ott, 10:20 a.m.
-- Scott Belsly/Josh Ellingson vs. Dan Moran/Pat Greenan, 10:30 a.m.
-- Derek Anderson/Chris Fort vs. Bob Chung/Jeff Kratzer, 10:40 a.m.
-- Ed Whitaker/Daren Lowery vs. Mark Hammerton/Scott Maxwell, 10:50 a.m.