While hundreds of players won fantastic prizes from Rolling Rock during the CTTP party nights, only the top dogs were invited to compete for $5,500 in prizes at the Rolling Rock Championship Final!

Fifty-five top-shooting qualifiers made the pilgrimage to Buffalo Wild Wings in Columbus, Ohio, on December 10^th to compete in the Championship Final.  Despite the bitter cold and fresh layer of snow dumped on the ground, dedicated GT golfers packed BWW’s ready with their eyes on the prize and ice cold Rolling Rock beers in their hands.

For their efforts each player received a goodie bag compliments of Rolling Rock and Incredible Technologies, as well as a raffle ticket for some outstanding door prizes!

Rolling Rock GT LIVE Championship 

The event was structured with a head-to-head, single elimination format where players were given three chances to outdo their opponents.  The games were projected on two giant screens that allowed the crowd to be a part of every swing of the day.

Despite having a few notable GT aces in the field, like former Team USA members Andy Haas and Chris Litzinger, there was no telling who would walk away the closest-to-the-pin champion.  And as the action ensued it became apparent - yet again – that the closest-to-the-pin format is the ultimate equalizer for all levels of Golden Tee players.

With every dazzling shot at the pin or hole-in-one that was made, the names on the bracket dwindled away.  The final four was without any of the usual suspects and comprised of the four hottest shooters of the day.  Two Cincinnatians, Reid Somori and Steve Spitler, made it to the semi finals along side Brian Garner of Oregonia and Kyle Merkl of Evendale, who highlighted the day with back-to-back holes in one!

After defeating Steve Spitler in the semi final round, Merkl moved on to the finals to face Reid Somori, who ousted Brian Garner to advance.

Merkl and Somori battled for the $2,500 payday on the LIVE’s most notorious hole, #17 of Heather Pointe.  After sticking a great shot on his first attempt, Somori set the bar high for Merkl.  Ultimately, the initial shot proved too much for Merkl to overcome and Somori went home as the 2005 Golden Tee LIVE Rolling Rock CHAMPION!

Check out Final Results Below…

GOLDEN TEE LIVE ROLLING ROCK CHAMPIONSHIP

Grand Prize Winner

Reid Somori – Cincinnati, OH     |     $2,500

1^st Prize Winner

Kyle Merkl – Evendale, OH     |     $1,500

2^nd Prize Winner

Steve Spitler – Cincinnati, OH     |     $1,000

3^rd Prize Winner

Brian Garner – Oregonia, OH     |      $500

Congratulations to Reid Somori and all of the Rolling Rock Golden Tee LIVE Finalists!

Special Thanks to:
Andy Shaffer and Al Williams of Shaffer Services in Columbus for providing the machines and technical services for the event Andy Dennis, Manager of Buffalo Wild Wings in Columbus for donating prizes and providing a flawless venue for the contest John Neely of Rolling Rock (InBev USA) for donating outstanding Rolling Rock drawing items
 

Eye on the prize - a $2,500 grand prize was at stake for the winner of the Rolling Rock GT LIVE Challenge	55 players and dozens of spectators packed Buffalo Wild Wings on a cold Columbus Saturday to take part in the GT action
Phil Varney of Loveland, OH shows off his $20 GT LIVE gift card that he won for hitting the first hole-in-one of the day!	Erin Peschel of Columbus, OH, one of the contest's two female competitors, displays the Rolling Rock watch that she won in the door prize drawing
55 players, one champion: the single elimination format made for an exciting day of closest-to-the-pin action	The Rolling Rock Championship Final was a day full of good drink, good food and good times!
Well known GT players Scott Zollars (L) of Covington, KY and Bill Steitz (R) of Canal Winchester, OH dazzled the crowd with back-to-back hole-in-ones! They each received $20 GT LIVE gift cards for their performance	Aptly named "Mr. Hole-in-One" for the day, Kyle Merkl of Evendale, OH shows off one of his two GT LIVE gift cards that he won after nailing two aces in a row!!
"Duffer" Dan Schrementi of IT presents a Rolling Rock Thermos tailgaiting grill to Rexanna Caldwell of Delaware, OH - the lucky winner of the top Rolling Rock door prize!	Reid Somori of Cincinnati takes a swing on his quest for a $2,500 payday.
After an outstanding performance, finalist Steve Spitler of Cincinnati settles for third place and a $1,000 prize	John Neely of Rolling Rock presents the $2,500 grand prize check to GT Challenge winner Reid Somori!
Winners! John Neely congratulates the top four finalists (L to R) Steve Spitler, Kyle Merkl, Reid Somori and Brian Garner. Rolling Rock gave away $5,500 to the finalists!	Steven Sobe and Marguerite Kirby of Incredible Technologies relax with Ken Wegener who represented Mulligans in Avon, OH. Ken drove a long way but came up short of the big prize.