The words came haltingly at first from Mike Roberts on Saturday upon learning that he and his partner, John L. “Judge” LaMancuso, were the winners of the 53rd Italian-American Charity Golf Tournament.
And then, well, they didn’t stop.
“First off, it’s one of the toughest competitions you’re ever going to play,” an emotional Roberts said after he and LaMancuso posted a final-round net best-ball 64 and a 54-hole total of 196, one shot better than the overall runner-up team of Casey Digirolamo and Dusty Carlson. “Eighty-eight teams and some really good players.”
Then, with tears welling up in his eyes, Roberts said his emotions weren’t so much about winning, but rather “it’s about the relationships you build.”
For him and LaMancuso, who claimed their first I-A championship in 1999, their friendship dates back nearly three decades.
John L. “Judge” LaMancuso, left, and Mike Roberts pose for a photo at Holiday Valley Resort in Ellicottville after winning the 53rd Italian-American Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg
“You think about the 28 years we’ve played together and the memories we’ve had, the relationships we’ve built out of this and the relationship he and I have built,” Roberts continued. “I have five older brothers, but I’m closer to Judge than any of my brothers. We’re family.”
LaMancuso admitted that when he and Roberts won 25 years ago, “it didn’t mean a lot … because we thought, ‘Oh, it’s easy.’”
That feeling has done a 180 since then.
LaMancuso is 69 and played with a 16 handicap this weekend and Roberts is 62 and played with an 11. Therefore, the opportunities to win at Holiday Valley Resort in early June figure to get tougher and tougher every year.
John L. “Judge” LaMancuso, left, and Mike Roberts pose for a photo at Holiday Valley Resort in Ellicottville after winning the 53rd Italian-American Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg
Heck, LaMancuso said he didn’t even know they were in contention as they finished up their final round.
“(Roberts) was going to give me his letter of resignation this morning at breakfast, (telling me I) need to get another partner, that he was too old and that he wasn’t going to help me anymore.
“It all stemmed from a putt that was about a foot long above the hole on No. 18 (on Friday). He hit a beautiful birdie putt — like a 6-footer — and it hit the edge and went about a foot above the hole. He got over it … and missed it.”
Roberts, who played despite a badly swollen elbow, made up for it Saturday.
“He parred (18),” LaMancuso said, “and that was the difference between winning the tournament and being tied and in a playoff.”
LaMancuso added: “Mike played great today. He made some up-and-downs that made the difference. … If you would have told me at the beginning of the tournament that 14-under par would win, I would never have believed it. They made the course so difficult. … It was a tough track, and then the wind kicked up and it was really hard to play the course. I give credit to the pro and greenskeeper for setting the course up the way they did.”
And even though the longtime friends didn’t hit the ball as far as they once did, they were the ones who left Holiday Valley Resort with the championship trophy.
“God is good every day,” Roberts said.
Added LaMancuso: “Here’s one for the old guys.”
Original article by Scott Kindberg, The Post-Journal.
Champions
John L. LaMancuso-Mike Roberts 66-66-64-196
Runners-up
Casey Digirolamo-Dusty Carlson 65-66-66-197
First Flight
Adam Gullo-Dylan Lundmark 64-70-67-201
James Panebianco-Sean Larson 62-69-70-201
Bucky Lombardo-Rich Shelley 64-64-76-204
David Munella-David Currie 64-72-69-205
Pete Morgante-Jon Gren Jr. 64-73-68-205
Mike Prinzi-Cody Anderson 65-67-74-206
Joe Sinatra-Dave Leathers 65-73-69-207
Lucian DiNapoli-Ryan Yager 65-72-73-210
Ryan Calalesina-Corey Schmitt 65-72-73-210
Jasyn Consiglio-Josh Dankovich 65-75-70-210
Chris Cusimano-Josh Nelson 64-71-76-211
Angelo Volpe-Jim Brown 65-74-73-212
Second Flight
Ray Paladino-Robert Saltzman 66-66-67-199
Carl Pillittieri-Dave Bogdan 66-64-71-201
Nick Conti-Tommy Fales 66-64-71-201
George Panebianco-John O’Mara 66-65-70-201
Paul Mole-Steve Anderson 68-69-66-201
Pete Pillittieri-Andy Sandstrom 66-71-66-203
Jordan Coccagnia-Kyle Rensel 66-72-67-205
Anthony Cusimano-Chad Peterson 67-71-72-210
Gregg Pietrocarlo-Hans Auer 66-76-72-214
Dominic Salvaggio Jr.-Zach Vogle 67-77-71-215
Third Flight
Paul Mole Jr.-David Lobb 67-65-65-197
Brett Cappa-Adam McKinley 68-66-66-200
John I. LaMancuso-Adam McKinley 68-66-66-200
Mike Schifano-Alex Johnson 68-70-62-200
Sam Peppy Jr.-Charlie Moss 68-69-65-202
Colin Lodestro-John Geisler 68-68-67-203
Blake Tarana-Quint Lawson 69-67-70-206
Adam Mason-Patrick MacIntyre 68-73-66-207
John Sirianno-Ryan Calkins 67-71-70-208
David Rizzo-Tim Mead 68-73-70-211
Joe Calimeri-Chris Hammond 69-78-70-217
Tony Triscari-Randy Nelson 67-79-74-220
Fourth Flight
Nick Munella-Jake Currie 69-69-64-202
Tom Brigiotta-John Anderson 69-63-71-203
Zack Panebianco-Matt Hoaglund 69-64-72-205
Bill Malenga-Salim Sarvaiya 69-69-67-205
Chris Pappalardo-Dan Brunenavs 69-67-70-206
Sebastian Baggiano-Gary Yager 69-72-67-208
Sam LaMancuso Jr.-Evan Grey 69-70-70-209
Josh Ricotta-Kyle Luce 69-73-67-209
Anthony Peppy-Reid VanEvery 69-70-71-210
Joe Frangione-Tyler Nelson 69-73-68-210
Jordan Basile-Ryan Deppas 69-68-78-215
Anthony Tuccio-Scott Smith 69-71-77-217
Fifth Flight
John Trussalo-Tim Magnuson 71-62-65-198
Jordan Bardo-Jordan Woleen 70-67-64-201
David Foti-Rich Grey 70-64-70-204
Tim D’Angelo-Jason Stronz 70-67-69-206
Matt Traniello-Aaron Thomas-Leone 71-68-69-208
Paul Pappalardo-Patrick Langworthy 70-70-69-209
Todd D’Angelo-Joe Willig 70-70-70-210
Rob Foti-Craig Lundgren 71-66-74-211
Dennis Palermo-Bernie Auer 70-69-72-211
Anthony Gullo-Mike Peters 71-67-73-211
John Panebianco-Tom Sedorchuk 70-68-73-211
Drew Rinaldo-Levi Madden 70-78-72-220
Sixth Flight
John Calimeri-Andrew Casselman 74-66-60-200
Greg Mareri-Jerome Davis 71-70-73-213
Mike Condella-Bill Emerson 72-72-71-215
Jim Todaro-Tom Yocum 71-70-75-216
Sandy Volpe-Tim Kolstee 71-73-73-217
Nick Amatuzzo-Jake Berg 71-75-7`-218
Jordan Ricotta-Scott Roberts 73-67-79-219
Lucas Munella-John Samuelson 71-72-79-219
Brooks Landy-Ryan Thompson 71-78-73-222
Bob Marchiando-Barry Minsker 71-76-76-223
Steve Cusimano-Jim Pullan 72-75-77-224
Busty Triscari-Dan Okruhlica 71-76-79-226
Joe Paterniti-Paul Weinstein 71-79-76-227
Mike Yezzi-Chris Yarber 74-81-73-228
Seventh Flight
John Foti-Dan Cotter 76-66-67-209
Todd Frangione-Mark Tarbrake 74-66-74-214
Mike Panebianco-Tanner Merchant 74-72-69-215
Henry Mole-Tom Ames 75-70-71-216
Sam Triscari-Dave Rowe 75-75-69-219
Fred Pellerito-Dan Cheney 78-77-65-220
Jim LaMancuso-Chad Waddington 77-74-73-224
Joe Cordosi-Jeff Lennox 80-73-75-228
Jayme Genco-Tim Anderson 81-71-79-231
Tyler Coccagnia-Kye Forsberg 74-77-88-239
BJ Monacelli-Aaron Beichner 75-83-84-242
John Salvaggio-Joe Jackson 75-83-84-242
Nick Trussalo-Jimmy Schultz 80-84-80-244
Jeremy Casel-Dave Kianos 83-88-86-257