LIBERTY - Mark and Mitchell Etess lived up to their top billing as pre-tournament favorites in the First Annual Sullivan County Democrat’s Golf Tournament this weekend. The two amateur golfers played their home course flawlessly, coming away with a final round, 6-5, victory over Bob Simons and Doc Mullins of Honesdale in the Two Man Team, Better Ball, Match Play Tourney on Sunday afternoon to take the Championship.

When the Etess brothers retired on Sunday on the 13th hole with the match sewed up, they had converted four birdies and nine pars into a four under par score of 49, while Simons and Mullins found themselves struggling with a score of 61 over 13 holes, having won only one hole and tied five against the pair from Liberty.

Mark and Mitchell Etess gave notice to the rest of the field of 44 golfing teams, that they were the team to beat, as they carded a team score of 68 Friday afternoon to take low qualifying honors. Fifteen other teams joining the Etess brothers Saturday morning in the championship flight with the losing eight teams moving into the first flight Saturday afternoon. The remaining teams after Friday’s qualifying round were placed in three successive flights determined by their qualifying scores giving the tournament five flights in all.

The Etess brothers drew the first of three teams from Pennsylvania which they were to face over the three day tournament when they teed off against Bob McHugh and John Annabelle Saturday morning. They got by their first rivals, downing them 4-3. The afternoon match was not as easy.

Playing in what Mitchell called one of the best matches he’s ever played in the Etess brothers had to go 20 holes against Walk Markowsi and Mike Carrol, also from Pennsylvania.

Sunday morning they took on a familiar duo - Jimmy Grossinger, their cousin, and Ken Cohen, an assistant at Grossinger’s Golf Course. Despite some fine play by Grossinger and Cohen, the Etess brothers prevailed once more, this time winning two up, on the 18th.

Simons and Mullins got by tournament director Paul Zintel and his partner Jim Gregg of Honesdale, winning on the final hole. They then beat Andy Rohrback and Tom Trudgeon of Liberty, 5-4, and followed that with a 4-3 victory over Gregg Rainone and Paul Irwin of Honesdale.

Longest drive and closest to the pin honors went to the championship flight finalists as Mitch Etess took the longest drive while Bob Simmons won closest to the pin.

Another Liberty team won the first flight championship. Marvin Newberg and Myron Josepher, after being eliminated from the championship round by Grossinger and Cohen, bounced back to win three rounds of match play, including a 3-2 victory over Zintel and Gregg in the final round.

Zintel and Gregg found themselves in the finals of the first flight after they won a one up victory over Tom Howe and Dave Tolley III which went 21 holes before it was decided.

A third Liberty team, David Cohen and Dick Benton, took top spot in the second flight, defeating Carl Bresky and Glenn Sonenshine of Monticello, 2-1. Jack Jordan of Grahamsville and Ricky Morgan of Monticello broke the Liberty strangle hold on first place, as they beat Jeff Firmstone and Joe Shershenovich of Honesdale, 4-3, in the third flight. Brothers, Hank and Gerry Kapusinsky of Honesdale, defeated Fred Stabbert and George Dudley of Callicoon for the championship in the fourth flight.

Stabbert and Dudley had to beat Jeff Clewell and Art Keesler of Jeffersonville one up on the 19th in order to advance to the finals, while Clewell and Keesler had to go 19 holes on Saturday before defeating Tim Robish and Fred Stabbert III, one up.

Losers in each flight came back Sunday to play a consolation medal round. Sy Solomon and Steven Epstein took the championship flight consolation award with two under 69, while Grossinger and Cohen were one stroke back with a 70.

In the second flight Bob Feldman and Manny Paul of South Fallsburg shot a 77 to take the consolation round. Bob Polsky and Sid Klein edged Art Leroy and Mike Curran on a match of cards both teams shot a two-over 73 in the consolation round of the third flight. Harold Diamond and Al Venzina of South Fallsburg took the fourth flight consolation championship with a 77.