The pairing of Drew Forrester and Bert Moreno II, who met for the first time just before their Saturday morning tee time, proved to be a formidable weekend combination as they meshed for a record-breaking 68-70 - 138 and a one-stroke victory in the third annual Baltimore Cup that concluded at Hayfields Country Club yesterday.
Bob Kaestner and Evan Hileman, champions the previous two years with 139 scores, hit that number again with three back-nine birdies to finish second. Tournament co-chairmen Henry Blue and Larry Storck, and Doug Ballenger and Steve Ford each posted 70-70 - 140 to tie for third.
Forrester, a veteran local public links player from Mount Pleasant GC, and Moreno, a Hayfields member for the past 18 months after moving to this region from the Washington area, each had a front-nine birdie. But a team bogey sent them to the turn 1-under for the day and 4-under for the tournament.
Then, Forrester birdied the 11th from 30 feet, Moreno ran down a tense, 8-footer for birdie at the 16th, and, after both drove into a hazard with their second shots at the 18th, Moreno coaxed in a downhill, 12-foot putt to salvage bogey and seal the victory.
The outcome earned the winners an invitation to next year's Chesapeake Cup, a better-ball tournament that is an annual event at Caves Valley.
With the 6,500-yard, par-72 course playing tougher than Saturday's round at Caves Valley, Kaestner and Hileman had the only round in the 60s.
Final results: Drew Forrester-Bert Moreno II, 68-70-138; Bob Kaestner-Evan Hileman, 70-69-139; Larry Storck-Henry Blue, 70-70-140; Doug Ballenger-Steve Ford, 70-70-140; Drew DeVan-Jim Winner, 69-73-142; H.T.-Moose Brown, 72-71-143; Eddie Lipski-Rod Trump, 67-77-144; Brian Woods-Chris Swam, 76-70-146; George Marin-Gary Matz, 72-74-146; Jimmy Rosenfield-Sheldon Kalish, 72-75-147; Joel Kaye-Joe Records, 68-80-148; Rick Sovero-Andy Pataki, 74-74-148; David Kaplan-Paul Steinfeldt, 74-74-148; Scott Hargest-Bobby Helffrich, 72-78-150; Larry Sheets-Bill Butler, 77-76-153; Mark Storck-Mark Kauffman, 77-77-154; Bo Jarrett-Rusty Ward, 74-82-156; Armando Cignarale-Shane Abernathy, 80-78-158.