Published: August 04, 2008 01:01 am            

Three’s company

Local trio looks to continue success at W.Va. Amateur

FAIRMONT — Dylan Alasky and Zack Rudy have known each other since grade school. And whether it be their early golfing days at Green Hills Country Club or matches between North Marion and West Fairmont, there’s always been a healthy dose of competition.

Now teammates at Fairmont State University, the duo is fighting for something far bigger than bragging rights heading into today’s 89th West Virginia Amateur at The Greenbrier Resort.

Both, along with fellow Marion County native Matt Pellillo, have a legitimate shot of winning the whole thing.

“We always have our little competitions at Fairmont,” Alasky, who recently finished his freshman season, said of Rudy. “I told him I’d love to get into a playoff with him.”

It’s certainly possible after last month’s tournament qualifier at Bridgeport Country Club, where Alasky and Rudy tied for second overall with 1-under 143s, two strokes behind Parkersburg’s Kenneth Hess (141). Pellillo tied for ninth place at 152.

While Rudy surged into contention with an opening-round 68 — he was the lone golfer to break 70 at Bridgeport — Alasky was a model of consistency, firing 72 and 71 on consecutive days.

For Alasky, success can be tied to, of all things, a summer vacation.

He recently spent two weeks in Florida. When he wasn’t soaking up the rays, Alasky was making major adjustments to his swing, working with Tom Burnett at St. John’s Country Club in St. Augustine to eliminate the excessive weight shift in his lower half.

“I threw myself out of balance, and really got out of control, to tell you the truth,” Alasky said. “I was consistent but not where I wanted to be, not to the point of being a tournament player.

“I knew had the opportunity at the golf course with its practice faculties. There was a chance to do it and I took it.”

Alasky was lucky in one sense. He’s always thought of himself as a quick learner — be it golf or his time as a Bob Evans line cook — and didn’t expect a huge learning curve.

The transformation, though, happened sooner than expected.

“Within the next day, everything felt better. Accuracy, consistency, everything,” Alasky said.

It carried over into Bridgeport, where Alasky would’ve been happy to make the cut, but ended up flirting with medalist honors.

Rudy and Pellillo also bring plenty of pedigree into the event.

Rudy, a former Polar Bears’ standout, was a first-team all-WVIAC selection this past season at FSU. Pellillo, the North Central Athletic Conference Golfer of the Year while at West, carded an average round of 81.7 in 2008 at Potomac State College.

Each are looking to make one more run this week.

“This can tournament can be won,” Alasky said. “My goal is to pull a Tiger Woods: Keep it close, make the cut and (have a late charge). That’s the honest to goodness truth.”

E-mail Nick Cammuso at ncammuso@timeswv.com.

        

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