CHURCHVILLE, N.Y. (FLX) — History was made Saturday on the FLX Tour as the team of Danny Driffill and Mike Mortillaro took home the hardware for the 2023 Churchville Classic.

Helped by a sturdy team handicap of 11, the “Boys in Blue” were able to hold off the pre-tournament favorites of Sean Sawyer and Matt Driffill with a net score of 64 and a gross score of 72. Despite winning the gross score total with an impressive two under 70, the handicaps held back Sawyer and Matt Drififll who finished with a second place net score of 67 in the two-man scramble style tournament.

“It’s a major bummer for sure,” FLX Tour Co-Commissioner Matt Driffill said. “Get it? Major bummer, major tournament. Anyways, yeah it totally sucks. Total bullshit. We had the best score and we still don’t get the check. Fuckin’ sucks.”

It’s more of the same for Sawyer as well. After finishing the Grand Open with a record breaking round of 74, he still came in second due to handicaps being applied. It was a nightmare repeating itself Saturday for Sawyer after once again coming up first for gross, but not for net. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.

“Thems the breaks suckers,” Danny Driffill said with his vintage snickering tone.

With the win, Danny Driffill joins the GOAT conversation for FLX Tour. He now joins his brother Matt, and fellow FLX Tour leader Joey Mortillaro as the only two-time major champion winners. Danny Driffill and Joey Mortillaro famously won the 2022 Churchville Classic while donning matching polo shirts.

For Mike Mortillaro, it was his first FLX Tour major championship and a moment that will forever secure his legacy as one of the all time greats.

Despite the loss, Sawyer picked up a big batch of points for the prestigious Young Man of the Year rankings, where he’s currently ranked No. 1 on Tour, edging out Danny Driffill by two points to date after two impressive showings in both majors so far this year.

Making their FLX Tour season debut, the duo of Al Gray and Alex M. Dooley made some noise throughout the afternoon and tied for third in gross score (75) with Chris Miers and Steve Nally. Uncle Chris, one of the top players on Tour, is still seeking his first major title, but like Sawyer picked up some valuable YMOTY points on Saturday. It was drama for bronze at the Classic as five teams tied for third place with a net score of 70 (full scores below).

Gray and Dooley, affectionaly nicknamed team “Stocked Cooler” took home the prize for closest-to-the-pin challenge on the par 3 hole No. 4. Between that victory, their competitive finish, and a whole lot of bloody mary’s on deck, FLX fans will be eager to see both of their names in the field again soon.

With the Churchville Classic in the rear-view mirror, the FLX Tour is now halfway through their major championship schedule for the year. With the Genesee Invitational on the horizon, and the Lakeshore Cup coming after that, time is running out for some players to make their stamp on history.

While there was a bitter taste left for some due to the handicap scoring stealing two titles away from Sawyer this year, everyone on Tour agreed that it was a nice time had by all. A very nice time (VNT).

Notes from the course

— Sources say Nathan Wirth gave a violent fist pump after making a putt. When asked to prod further about the happenings, another source said Mike Converse gave a violent fist pump after not making a putt, but getting it “pretty close.”

— “Team Dan,” Danny Ott and Dan Driffill, were a crowd favorite early on. Despite being the oldest player on Tour, the Driffill father was the only contestant in the field to walk the course on Saturday. Danny Ott, making a play for Most Improved Player in some fans’ eyes, drove his cart about 1 mph all day alongside his walking counterpart. It was wholesome. Ott himself had a great front nine, but after a suspiciously long bathroom break at the turn, and quite a few beers afterwards, his back 9 score quickly deteriorated. Still, a nice time was reported.

— The best dressed award came out before everyone even arrived at the course. Making his FLX Tour debut, the one and only Boston Slootmahker showed up and showed out, sporting matching money print shirt and shorts. He and his partner Josh Valletta, team “Nosè Quervo,” couldn’t muster any major moves on the leaderboard, but they left their mark in the hearts of fans and players alike with their jovial banter and flair for fashion. “It smells like farts,” Boston quipped as his group crept up to the tee box on hole 8 where the 8 a.m. group was teeing ahead of them. That’s comedy. That’s comedy.

— The traditional Champions Luncheon at Shamrock Jacks was a quaint but happy gathering. The institution is celebrating 20 years in business this year (might not actually be true and just be a marketing trick), and were offering $2.50 on wells and select draft beers. A very nice time had by all. A handful of Tour pros then went to a diaper party where bad decisions were made. Some say Brandon Moyhnihan still hasn’t slept as of the time of this report.

— Despite a lot of hype in the week leading up to the Classic, team “Mr. Moms” had a relatively milktoast performance. Gene Ferrera and Todd Horne were considered darkhorses, according to themselves, and sleepers (at best) to others, but finished with a somewhat disappointing 75 net and 83 gross score.

2023 Churchville Classic Final Scores

Rank (Gross)	Team	Score (Gross)	Rank (Net)	Team	Score (Net)	YMOTY Points
1	Sean Sawyer & Matt Driffill	70	1	Danny Driffill & Mike Mortillaro	64	46
2	Danny Driffill & Mike Mortillaro	72	2	Sean Sawyer & Matt Driffill	67	46
T-3	Al Gray & Alex M. Dooley	75	T-3	Al Gray & Alex M. Dooley	70	40
T-3	Chris Miers & Steve Nally	75	T-3	Chris Miers & Steve Nally	70	40
T-5	Dan Riesenburger & Brendan Millward	77	T-3	Dan Riesenburger & Brendan Millward	70	36
T-5	Tim Dorsheimer & Brandon Moynihan	77	T-3	Tim Dorsheimer & Brandon Moynihan	70	36
7	Tom Deiure & Pat Moynihan	78	T-3	Tom Deiure & Pat Moynihan	70	32
8	Danny Ott & Dan Driffill	80	T-8	Joey Mortillaro & Mike Converse	74	18
9	Joey Mortillaro & Mike Converse	82	T-8	Shane Driffill & Nathan Wirth	74	16
T-10	Shane Driffill & Nathan Wirth	83	T-10	Danny Ott & Dan Driffill	75	16
T-10	Gene Ferrera & Todd Horne	83	T-10	Gene Ferrera & Todd Horne	75	12
12	Josh Valletta & Boston Slootmahker	91	12	Josh Valletta & Boston Slootmahke	82	4