April 14, 2001

WARREN, PA — Before he had even hit a shot that counted in the Carl Spackler Open, Brian Long(i.e. Ruthie) shared a secret with his mother.

A simple swing adjustment had paid off. The ball was suddenly going where he wanted.

"I just kind of looked at her and said, 'I've got it,' " Long recalled.

Oh, did he ever. And one round later, Brian Long had something else -- a spot in the Spackler record book.

Ruthie wrapped up his romp of Jackson Valley Country Club today by playing the final five holes 3-over par (54 points) to break a Spackler Tour record and score 94 points for the round that may stand for years. With the outcome of the spring tournament still unknown, Ruthie did the impossible by scoring two birdies in the last five holes to finish at 104.

"I've never dreamed that point total was reachable. It never crossed my mind I could do something like that,'' Ruthie said.

Brian Long not only broke the 18-hole NOOG point record, he also broke the record for most points in 9-holes.

"I know I'm streaky, but I'm not that good,'' Ruthie said. "Looking at the board when I was out on the 13th green and seeing a red 40, it just looked average.  I don?t know what happened.  54 points just came from nowhere.?  Ruthie ended his slaughter of the Jackson Valley back-nine to a huge gallery by sinking a 20-footer for birdie on the final hole.  Ruthie said, ?The crowd went absolutely crazy.?  When Brian decided to leave the green, there were fans asking for his autograph.  Ruthie just kept insisting with a smile, ?It?s just me, Ruthie.?

It might have seemed even crazier because Ruthie had been hitting the ball in every direction and almost went to Cable Hollow on Monday for a lesson with Ty Webb to try and straighten things out.

Instead, Webb told him on the phone that he was over swinging, and Long used the advice to shoot an effortless 104 on Saturday.  It was then he went home and told girlfriend Tracy Bolinda that he had gotten it. "She just said, 'Oh, good,' " Brian said.

"It's an indescribable feeling right now,'' said Ruthie, who has never birdied one hole in his life.  I have been struggling to win anything for awhile.''  Ruthie takes a 16-point lead in the Carl Spackler Spring Open from Randy Watson who has scored very well lately.

Greg Long(i.e. Slick), who improved his mark in the tournament with a 79, returned from last Saturday's debacle to face a 5-iron second shot on the first hole.  Slick missed his 5-footer for eagle, but tapped in his birdie to start a good round. "I'd love to get out there right now and throw that baby close,'' he said Saturday after walking off the course.

Slick did just that, making birdie on Hole 1 and Hole 14, but missed an opportunity to eagle Hole 17 after leaving his second shot on the back fringe.  ?I missed key shots today.  For god sakes, I missed a three-foot putt for birdie on Hole 7.  Slick played nine straight holes during his up-and-down round at par.

"There was no way we were going to beat him,'' Greg said. "I could have shot 63 and still lost today.  Ruthie was absolutely amazing.''

The runaway was just what the huge crowds had come to see.  But they had expected it from Slick and not Ruthie.

It was the first tour event that Slick had scored well.  Still, Greg said he was not concerned with his game.  ?My game is coming around.  I?m just glad that I had the opportunity to see greatness.?  Ruthie struggled in Myrtle Beach last summer shooting in the 130?s.

"I'm not playing badly,'' he said. "I just need to get some of my drives to stay on the fairway.  The rough at Jackson is like shortly cut weeds.''

Slick, who has a home in the Warren area, was relaxed throughout the day, laughing and joking with his playing companion Ruthie. He walked down the eighteenth fairway chatting with a young boy who was a standard bearer, and was still smiling when Ruthie smoked past him with another 20-point birdie putt.