Courtesy photo
From left: Michelle Day and Chris Sisto are finally Iron Masters champions.
ORE HILL — Chris Sisto and Michelle Day have been participating as golf partners in the Iron Masters Ladies Golf Classic for many years, and had always come close to winning the championship, but could never quite get over the hump.
Until Tuesday afternoon.
Sisto and Day used a strong front nine in the second round to shoot a two-day total of 146 with identical two-day scores of 73, and won the 2025 championship by staving off the runner-up team of Barb Pagana and Jessie DeFazio, who carded a two-day total of 149 on scores of 73 in Monday’s first round and 76 in Tuesday’s second round.
Both Sisto and Day are golfing members of the Scotch Valley Country Club in Hollidaysburg. Finally winning the Iron Masters title Tuesday after years of trying was gratifying for them.
“We were close a lot of years, but we just hadn’t won it,” Day said.
The team finished second in the 2023 Classic.
“We just kept slowly climbing up that leaderboard,” Sisto said.
The duo has played in and won many tournaments across the state over the years, and finally reached the top of the leaderboard at the Iron Masters Classic this year.
Playing together for so many years establishes a sense of cohesiveness and continuity, both Sisto and Day said.
“You know how the other person plays,” Day said.
Sisto concurred, saying that “We know our strong points and we help each other all the time.”
Day’s putting was a strong point for the team in this year’s tournament.
“She was on fire with her putter – lights out,” Sisto said.
The team carded three birdies in Tuesday’s second round after making one in Monday’s first round. Sisto and Day were locked in a tie entering Tuesday’s play with Pagana and DeFazio after both teams had scored a 73 in Monday’s first round.
Sisto and Day opened up a four-stroke lead over their closest competitors over the front nine holes in the second round, and held on to win the event by three strokes.
“I stayed in my lane, and just tried to hit the fairways and greens and stay consistent all day,” Day said.
The team did an excellent job of that.
“We stayed focused,” Sisto said.
The team of M.J. Boldin and Sally Fletcher won the First Flight championship with a score of 155 (81-74), while the team of Joelle Sweeney and Dana Kovash won the Second Flight championship with a score of 164 (84-80). The Third Flight championship team of Cheryl Newmaster and Cindy Shenk carded a score of 173 (89-84).
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT
1, Chris Sisto-Michelle Day, 73-73-146. 2, Barb Pagana-Jessie DeFazio, 73-76-149. 3, Amy Hempt-Amy Gierlak, 75-79-154. 4, Lexie Orr-Stac Redman, 79-76-155 (medalist). 5, tie, Beth Lunger-Merri Walters, 76-82-158 and Trish Corle-Julie Nesbitt, 80-78-158. 7, Cindy Trimarco-Theresa Perino, 79-72-161.
FIRST FLIGHT
1, M.J. Boldin-Sally Fletcher, 81-74-155. 2, Amy Volmer-Bernice Francia, 81-77-158. 3, Gwen Paden-Ashley Albright, 81-78-159. 4, Val Andreychik-Bridget Mathias, 83-77-160 (medalist). 5, tie, Jenn Johnston-Cathy Weitosh, 82-78-160, Ashley Albright-Connie Bence, 81-79-160, and Stephanie Kirsch-Jennie Beach, 83-77-160. 8, Patti Nellis-Jackie Rummel, 83-83-166. 9, Marlene Smith-Rebecca Warner, 83-87-170.
SECOND FLIGHT
1, Joelle Sweeney-Dana Kovash, 84-80-164. 2, Pam Rohrer-Vanessa Johnson, 87-79-166. 3, Janice Evans-Ann Baldini, 84-82-166. 4, Pam Stewart-Becky McLaughlin, 86-82-168 (medalist). 5, Connie Bolger-Denise Kelly, 85-85-170. 6, Andie Teeter-Nancy Blumberg, 84-87-171. 7, tie, Pat Nagle-Kris Lunger, 87-85-172 and Brenda Kaylor-Kathy Wreski, 87-85-172. 9, tie, Kathy Ramsey-Beth Sissler, 88-85-173 and Tammy Newell-Joy Saikronburee, 88-85-173. 11, Kathy Bottenfield-Lou Ann Donlan, 86-88-174. 12, Christine Corrigan-Kris Crisanti, 88-87-175.
THIRD FLIGHT
1, Cheryl Newmaster-Cindy Shenk, 89-84-173. 2, Donna Morgan-Wava Baer, 93-82-175. 3, Deb Showalter-Brooke Smith, 90-86-176. 4, Anita Jo Petrusky-Suz Price, 91-85-176 (medalist). 5, Kim Straesser-Brenda Flick, 90-92-182. 6, Kate Conway-Cindy Snowberger, 93-91-184. 7, Joann Freeman-Joan Welgus, 93-100-193. 8, Angela Gardner-Danene Litz, 102-98-200. 9, Anna Myers-Loane Maier, 105-105-210. 10, Janice Paul-Deb Hoke, 108-103-211.