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Before teeing off in the third, and final, round of the 52nd Italian-American Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday afternoon, Joe Sinatra had what he described as a “surreal” moment.

It dawned on him that, finally, after teeing it up in the event at Holiday Valley Resort for nearly three decades, he was in a position where he could actually win the whole thing.

So he and Dave Leathers — best friends since elementary school — did just that.

Leathers made a par 4 (net 3) on the 429-yard 18th hole to send them to victory with a three-day total of 62-61-63-185, two shots better than runners-up Dave Munella and Dave Currie, who finished 64-61-62-187.

“We got to win one for the ‘old guys,’” said Sinatra, who noted that he and Leathers both turned 60 in the last few weeks.

From the left, Joe Sinatra, Dave Leathers and Tommy Tantillo check the scorecard after the completion of their final round at the Italian-American Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday at Holiday Valley Resort. Tantillo’s partner, Nick Bell, is not pictured. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

After finishing the front nine 1-under par, Sinatra and Leathers shot 6-under on the back, capped by Leathers’ remarkable effort on the final hole.

“Dave was behind the trees, 115 yards out,” Sinatra said. “He can’t see the green, and he sticks it to 15 feet and then two-putts, because we needed a par. For him to land it on there and actually have a makeable putt — he almost made the birdie — and end it, that was ‘the shot.’”

Ironically, neither man had played much golf this year and hadn’t teamed together in this tournament since 2016.

“I had a different partner for many, many years,” Sinatra said, “but he couldn’t play anymore. I know in his heart he’d love to be here cheering us on. I asked Dave to come back — after he kind of said he was done and didn’t want to do it anymore — and he fought and made some clutch shots.”

Added Leathers: “We finally made some putts.”

As they left the 18th green, Sinatra and Leathers were greeted by their wives and friends.

“I love these guys and I love this tournament,” Sinatra said. “It’s not just a golf tournament. It’s a family reunion. To come back and do this with my best friend since third grade is a dream come true.”

Following are the winners of each flight: First Flight, Tommy Tantillo-Nick Bell, 58-66-63-187; Second Flight, Blake Tarana-Quint Lawson, 65-65-61-191; Third Flight, Rob Foti-Craig Lundgren, 66-67-72-195; Fourth Flight, Ryan Calalesina-Corey Schmitt, 67-64-63-194; Fifth Flight, Chris Cusimano-Josh Nelson, 69-64-63-196; Sixth Flight, Todd Frangione-Mark Tarbrake, 70-63-69-202; and Seventh Flight, Carl Pillittieri-Dave Bogdan, 74-62-68-204.

2023 Champions

• Joe Sinatra-Dave Leathers 62-61-63-185

Runners-up

• Dave Munella-Dave Currie 64-61-62-187

First Flight

• Tommy Tantillo-Nick Bell 58-66-63-187
• Dave Foti-Nick Madden 63-61-64-188
• Jim Todaro-Tom Yocum 59-72-59-190
• Jordan Coccagnia-Ben Lindquist 61-68-62-191
• John Trussalo-Tim Magnuson 63-62-67-192
• Brett Cappa-Derek Dawson 62-72-61-195
• Jordan Ricotta-Ben Lindquist 63-64-68-195
• George Panebianco-John O’Mara 62-70-64-196
• Mike Schifano-Alex Johnson 62-66-69-197
• Brooks Landy-Ryan Thompson 63-71-69-203
• Jordan Bardo-Jordan Woleen 59-73-73-205

Second Flight

• Blake Tarana-Quint Lawson 65-65-61-191
• Colin Lodestro-John Geisler 64-62-67-193
• ACusimano-Chad Peterson 63-64-67-194
• Paul Pappalardo-PLangworthy 63-70-61-194
• William Malenga-Salim Sarvaiya 64-69-61-194
• Joe Vitello-Colin Whitermore 65-62-70-197
• Sam Peppy-Charlie Moss 64-67-67-198
• Angelo Volpe-Jim Brown 64-67-70-201
• Nick Munella-Jake Dwaileebe 63-75-64-202
• Dave Rizzo-Tim Mead 64-69-70-203
• Dennis Palermo-Bernie Auer 64-77-68-209

Third Flight

• Rob Foti-Craig Lundgren 66-67-62-195
• Joe Paterniti Jr.-Matt Bittner 66-66-65-197
• Tim D’Angelo-Jason Stronz 65-66-67-198
• John L. LaMancuso-Mike Roberts 66-68-66-200
• JI LaMancuso-Adam McKinley 66-68-67-201
• Lucian DiNapoli-Ryan Yager 65-67-70-202
• Jasyn Consiglio-Josh Dankovich 65-73-66-204
• John Calimeri-Andrew Casselman 65-72-70-207
• Fred Pellerito-Dan Cheney 66-68-74-208
• Mark Panebianco-Sean Larson 66-72-71-=209
• Josh Ricotta-Kyle Luce 75-71-69-215

Fourth Flight

• Ryan Calalesina-Corey Schmitt 67-64-63-194
• Anthony Vitello-John Deppas 69-62-64-194
• Casey Digirolamo-Dusty Carlson 66-65-64-195
• Jim Panebianco-Tom Sedorchuk 66-69-64-199
• Tom Brigiotta-John Anderson 68-66-67-201
• Sebastian Baggiano-Gary Yager 68-71-62-201
• CPappalardo-Dan Brunenavs 67-64-71-202
• Sandy Volpe-Jamie Barton 67-70-69-206
• Mike Condella-Dave Anderson 68-71-67-206
• Chris D’Angelo-Steve Anderson 68-70-71-209
• Tony Triscari-Randy Nelson 68-68-74-210
• Joe Frangione-Tyler Nelson 68-78-73-219

Fifth Flight

• Chris Cusimano-Josh Nelson 69-64-63-196
• Sam Restivo-Max Eimiller 69-62-65-196
• Pete Pillittieri-Andy Sandstrom 69-70-64-203
• Tom D’Angelo-Steve Johnson 69-66-68-203
• Nick Amatuzzo-Jake Berg 70-63-70-203
• John Panebianco-NJohnson 69-70-69-208
• Henry Mole-Tom Ames 69-70-70-209
• Zack Panebianco-Matt Hoaglund 69-68-72-209
• Sam LaMancuso-Evan Grey 69-67-74-210
• John Foti-Dan Cotter 69-71-72-212
• Jim LaMancuso-CWaddington 70-71-74-215
• Bob Marchiando-Barry Minsker 70-75-74-219

Sixth Flight

• Todd Frangione-Mark Tarbrake 70-63-69-202
• Anthony Peppy-Reid VanEvery 70-69-64-203
• Bucky Lombardo-Rich Shelley 72-68-63-203
• Sam Triscari-Dave Rowe 70-71-63-204
• Mike Prinzi-Cody Anderson 70-64-70-204
• Ray Paladino-Robert Saltzman 70-66-69-205
• Paul Mole-Kurt Johnson 71-66-68-205
• Gregg Pietrocarlo-Hans Auer 71-68-70-209
• Pete Morgante-Jon Gren Jr. 71-69-71-211
• Dominic Salvaggio Jr.-Zach Vogle 70-73-70-213
• Todd D’Angelo-Joe Willig 71-76-71-218
• Mike Yezzi-Chris Yarber 71-76-73-220

Seventh Flight

• Carl Pillittieri-Dave Bogdan 74-62-68-204
• Busty Triscari-Steve Johnson 74-65-65-204
• Adam Mason-Patrick MacIntyre 74-66-71-211
• Chris Prinzi-Brian Dwaileebe 76-66-70-212
• Steve Cusimano-Jim Pullan 73-72-69-214
• Drew Rinaldo-Levi Madden 75-78-63-216
• Anthony Tuccio-Dan Hocking 72-75-70-217
• John Sirianno-Ryan Calkins 76-71-70-217
• Joe Calimeri-Chris Hammond 72-71-76-219
• Joe Paterniti-Paul Weinstein 75-76-78-229
• BJ Monacelli-Aaron Beichner 72-75-84-231
• Jeremy Casel-Dave Kianos 82-77-78-237
• Mike Panebianco-DKuropatwinski 83-79-79-241
• John Salvaggio-Joe Jackson 91-83-91-265

Original article by Scott Kindberg, The Post-Journal.