O’Neill, Gunnell Best ‘One-Two’ Punch In Local Golfing History?

Eight years ago Denny Lyons, whose father Toby was then the pro at Moon Brook, won the County Amateur Golf Championship at age 15. No one knew then that it would be only six years later when another 15-year-old Jamestowner would perform the same feat.

And Dan O’Neill’s victory at Chautauqua Golf Club in 1966 was just a hint of what was to come.

O’Neill is Jamestown’s hottest young golfer since Lyons’ days here and he and Bob Gunnell this year formed the most potent “one-two” fairways punch this area has seen in many years. The pair very likely achieved more golf glory during the summer than any other two local amateurs did in one season.

O’Neill, now a high school senior, began by competing in the 16th annual East Aurora Junior Tournament in June. He was eliminated in he semi-final by Larry Zee, the state interscholastic champion of Sweet Home high School, but it was a step in the right direction.

Passes Up Tourney

The stocky youngster then shot one-over-par at Moon Brook to qualify with Harold Carling for the State Men’s Amateur, a tourney he elected to pass up in order to play in an exhibition match in Dunkirk with Bob Goalby and Ken Venturini. He lost to South Shore’s Dennis Conrad in the finals of the Buffalo District Junior Tourney July 11, but bounced back in classy style, winning his second County Amateur title by shooting another 73 at Moon Brook.

Another setback followed as he was dethroned as Maplehurst Junior Club champ by Roger Loop on July 21. Three days later he went to Shorewood CC for the exhibition match with Venturini, Goalby and host pro Jack Schubert.

The big one was still a month away, however. On Aug. 24, Dan became, at age 17, the youngest ever to win the 45-year-old Buffalo District Golf Association title, making up in spades for his loss to Conrad in the junior tourney. He called it his “biggest win” and “biggest thrill in golf.” Dan carded even-par 72 across the final 18 to clinch it with a 72-hole total of 292. Gunnell, the only player to break par during the meet, finished second at 298 and Carling was next with 302, marking the first time Jamestown entries placed one-two-three in the prestigious event. O’Neill is only the second local golfer to win the tourney, also. Dr. Karl Englert was the champion in 1964.

A few days later, O’Neill went to Garden City, Long Island as part of the Buffalo District Golf Association’s four-man team in the Williamson Cup Junior Matches and shot seven-over 80on the unfamiliar and rugged Garden City Golf Club layout. More recently he swept the maximum six points in his foursome leading the BDGA to a tie with Syracuse in the first annual Inter-City District Team Tournament held at Lyons, N.Y. Dan shot one-over 73, two strokes off the pace set by medalist Frank Lillich Jr. of Rochester Oak Hill.

First Two-Time Champ

Gunnell, who fired a 78 at Lyons, lost a sudden-death playoff to Jack Fulford in the Western New York Amateur at Maplehurst early in July, but, except for his second place finish in the BDGA, he took almost everything in sight after that.

After winning the Genesee Open at Conewango Forks in Randolph, Gunnell went the “ulcer route” by taking two championships in sudden-death. He became the first two-time winner of the Men’s Open at Municipal when he defeated Gene Nelson in two extra holes and copped the first annual Genesee Classic at Maplehurst, bumping off Doug Burkette in three playoff holes. He picked up his fourth club championship at Chautauqua by sweeping defending champ Dan Loucks and then continued his domination of the Lakewood Open when he whacked out even-par 72 at Conewango Forks Sept. 16 for his fifth consecutive victory in the 18-year-old meet.

Gunnell shot a two-under 70 at Wanakah Country Club Aug. 23 to gain his distinction of being the only player to break par in the BDGA tourney.

Winning tournaments wasn’t the only thing Gunnell did. He added the crowning touch to an outstanding season by sinking his first hole-in-one, a 7-iron shot on the 174-yard No. 12 during his battle with Loucks in the Chautauqua championship finals.