Former champs to square off for Hop Brook club title

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NAUGATUCK — The Hop Brook Golf Course men’s club championship is down to the final round after a whirlwind of activity last weekend.

Last year’s runner-up Todd Gronau, the 2002 champion and 2015 semifinalist, will square off against Ray Martino, a four-time champion, for the coveted 2017 Club Championship.

The two will meet on Sunday for a 36-hole championship round. The first round of 18 tees off at 8 a.m. and the second round is scheduled for 1 p.m.

“Todd won a nail-biter in the quarterfinals, sinking a birdie putt on the 18th to get past David Leroy,” Hop Brook golf pro Bryan Nixon said. “He survived in the semis, earning a 1 up victory over Jessie Cyr, a past champion.”

Martino was in championship form, winning handily over George Lockwood in the quarterfinals and moving on to the final with a solid win over Larry Testone in the semifinals.

“Ray played some solid rounds in both the quarters and semis,” Nixon said. “So, it should be an exciting final. The championship flight is made up of the best 15 qualifying scores. So, we are getting the best golfers going up against one another.”

The first flight championship, which started with the next 16 qualifying scores, has been whittled down to Bob Stabile going up against Mike Fox.

Stabile held off a game effort from Gabe Amador in the semifinals to move on to the championship round. He got by Colin Sheedy, 7-6, in the quarterfinals.

Fox upended Pat Corbett in the quarters and Tom Gronau in the semis to reach the championship round.

In the second flight, longtime golfer Ken Teach got past Tom Gaffney to reach the championship round and will go up against Mike Morley, who defeated Jim Dasilva to make the final.

The Women’s Club Championship will tee off at 8:15 a.m. on Sunday with Stephanie Slekis, the 2014 champion and 2015 runner-up, taking on Carol Douty for the title.

Correction: The original post stated Ray Martino was a three-time club champion. He won the championship four times heading into the 2017 final.