Golfer strikes gold in Kiwanis scramble

In eight years of hosting the Sisters Kiwanis Golf Scramble no player has come close to hitting a hole-in-one.

But Fred Giacomini of Bend brought an end to the drought, and collected $10,000 in the process, in the event held at Eagle Ridge on Saturday.

Giacomini, a last-minute substitute for the tournament, aced the 140-yard 15th hole which was earmarked as the prize-winning hole in the 18-hole best ball scramble.

Tom Walters and Bob Grooney, both Kiwanis members, acted as official witnesses to the winning shot. An insurance policy is set up to cover the $10,000 prize, so Giacomini will have to wait for verification before he receives the prize money.

Event organizer Bill Duehren, who narrowly missed a hole-in-one of his own on a different hole, was tickled someone came up with the big shot.

"This is our eighth year and we haven't had anyone come close, so to have someone hole one out on that hole was just tremendous," he said.

In addition to the excitement of the prize-winning shot, the Kiwanis collected nearly $14,000 in profits on the event which is earmarked for a variety of youth-oriented programs, including Doernbecher Children's Hospital and SOAR.

Ray's Food Place, one of the key sponsors of the event, gives annually to Doernbecher.

Complete results of the tournament were unavailable at press time, but Sisters Texaco won the team title, finishing 14 under par for the 18-hole tournament.

Bill Duehren had the drive closest to the pin, with a shot creeping within 18 inches of the hole, and former Kiwanis member Lynn Keller, staying in Sisters for the summer, won the longest drive among women.

"We had 144 golfers this year, 50 percent of which came from outside the Central Oregon area," said Duehren, "and we hope to add another 72 to the field next year."