Nicholas Cristea Captures Firecracker Open By Three Shots Over Benestante and Nolen

Nicholas Cristea captured the 2015 Firecracker Open with a 12 under par total of 201.  His final round 68 gave him a three shot victory over Chris Benestante and Stratton Nolen, but not before some typical Lions Municipal Firecracker Open drama.

Cristea began the final round at nine under par, two shots back of Alex Ellis who led at eleven under par after a second round 64.  Cristea made a bogey on the first hole then regrouped with birdies on 2 and 3. He made a bogey on 5 and turned in even par.

Meanwhile, the leaderboard was changing like a checkerboard with Ellis fading and Chris Benestante and Stratton Nolen making charges on the front nine with 33 and 34 respectively.

Chris Benestante

Benestante continued to move up the leaderboard with birdies on 10 and 11 but he bogeyed 12 and stood at eight under par on 13 tee.  After pushing his tee shot 30 feet right of the hole, he made the putt and then birdied 14 to get to 10 under par for the tournament.  Pars on 15 and 16 put him one shot behind Cristea on 17 tee.  He pulled his tee shot and made a bogey, narrowly missing a par putt. He finished at nine under par.

Stratton Nolen

Former Firecracker Open Champ Stratton Nolen was making his move, turning in 34 to get to seven under for the tournament.  He then birdied 10, 11 and 14 to get to ten under par.  After pars on 15-17, he bogeyed 18 to finish at nine under.

Meanwhile, Cristea birdied 10 and 11 to get to eleven under par for the tournament.  He ground out out pars on 12-16, then birdied 17 where he hit 6 iron to 20 feet and made the putt to get to 12 under.  Game over.  After a 3 iron off the tee and a wedge to the 18th, a two putt gave him a three shot victory.

Cristea two putting 18th for victory

Nick Costello, Jordan Hawkes and Jay Reynolds all made runs at the eventual champion but finished tied for fourth at eight under par.  Mike Allen and Erik Henson finished T7 at seven under par.

Low round of the day went to Charles Neel White, who shot 65.  Benestante and Michael Cooper shot 66.

Congratulations to all the staff at Lions Municipal Golf Course and the Golf Department of Austin Parks and Recreation.  They ran a quality event where participants qualified to play, were treated to average rounds of just over four hours and had the opportunity to share the experience of competition on a course rich in tradition and Austin golfing lore.

The competitors and spectators all seemed to enjoy the event.

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