Carl & Karnish Win 47th Mixed Pinehurst At Maplewood Cc

A pair of scratch golfers representing a club without real estate walked away with the 47th NJSGA Mixed Pinehurst Championship on Wednesday, May 29, at the Maplewood Country Club.

Liz Carl, 23, and Adam Karnish, 28, of Moggy Brook Golf Club, co-workers for the U.S. Golf Association in Far Hills, carded a 2-over-par 73 to defeat Kate Renoff and Steve Lapper of Trump National-Bedminster (41-34-75) and Beth Bohny and William Bello of Metedeconk National (39-36-75) by two shots.

Sue and Joe Skowronski of Upper Montclair combined for a 75 to win the Senior Division (Gross). Donna and Tom Gardiner of Architects carded an 82-14-68 to clain the Senior Net Division.

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Both Carl and Karnish were playing in the event for the first time. Moggy Brook G.C. is the mythical term for the USGA campus landscape.

In the net division, 2009 overall champions Cathleen and Matt Finger of Darlington (75-7-68) won on a match of cards over Sheila and Jeffrey Wall of Manasquan River (75-7-68). Jane Linn and Peter Rymer of Hamilton Farm (76-7-69) took third.

“We felt if we stayed on par, we’d be okay,” said Karnish, in his sixth year at the USGA where he serves as Handicap Research and Analysis Coordinator. “We figured the course was soggy from the rain last night and it played short, so we wanted to take advantage of the par threes.”

“We didn’t miss a par 3, but we missed a lot of putts,” said Carl, 23, who played four seasons on the Rutgers University golf team. She is a rules associate at the USGA. Her one prior title was the 2008 Mixed Pinehurst championship, hosted in her home state by the Minnesota Golf Association. She won with her older brother Mike.

Carl and Karnish recorded four bogeys against two birdies. The day started ominously with a bogey on the first hole, but the pair rebounded with a birdie on the par-4 second hole when Karnish’s approach from 135 feet ended five feet from the hole. Carl then drained the putt.

The duo then bogeyed the par 4 sixth hole and par-4 ninth hole for a 2-over-38 on the front side.

They played even par 35 on the back nine with a birdie 3 on the par-4 13th hole as Carl’s approach from 125 closed to four feet. A bogey on the par-4 14th followed when they three putted.

“We gained some momentum on the final four holes. We putted for birdie on each of the final three holes,” said Karnish, a graduate of Ithaca College who helped Westfield High School to the state Group 4 and Tournament of Champions golf title in 2003.