By Stan Olenik Editor-Publisher

Borrowing from a seasonal theme.

The weather outside was frightful, but the result for the Nielsen brothers was delightful.

A full field of 130 golfers, 65 two-man teams. battled each other and the weather in the Cranberry Classic played at Boscobel.

The tournament has usually been the last event of the golf year in the Upstate. The golfers enjoyed an OK day to play the first round and a difficult second round to finish the 36 hole event.

Jonathan and Thomas Nielsen played their way into the championship flight in the first round trailing a pair of the leading teams by 2-shots.

The team of David Ellington & James Scott tied Brandon Masters & Nicky Biershenk for the lead. Both teams fired impressive 11-under 60s.

The Nielsen brothers joined five other teams who all were close enough to make a move to the top spot in the final round.

The brothers had won the Cranberry Classic two years ago and were not going to let the weather keep them from winning the tournament a second time..

“If one of us complained about the weather we just went on. We tried to stay dry and warm and it was difficult,” said Jonathan Nielsen.

The way the brothers “brother-in-lawed” the front nine the weather was not a problem for the two,

“We kind of each took turns hitting good drives,” said Thomas. “We didn’t have a hole were we hit two bad shots. We were always able to pick each other up,” he said.

While each of the brothers took turns getting the ball in play a hot start on a cold day was made possible by making putts.

“The greens were wet and firm. If you had the right line you were going to make putts and we made quiet a few,” said Jonathan.

The Nielsens matched the leaders 11-under par first round score with their 11-under par second round to post their second win in the event.

“Considering the conditions the golf course was in really good shape. The crew deserves a lot of credit,” both Neilsens agreed.

Jonathan Nielsen finished his Clemson golf career last spring and is in the process of getting his game ready for PGA Tour Q-School next year.

Now living in Charlotte, Nielsen took a big step to get ready.

He recently won a GPro tournament with a two-shot victory in the Mimosa Hills Challenge.

First round co-leaders Ellington and Scott finished in third place while the team of Austin Langdale and Russell Coakley, finished third.

Flight winners included First-Flight – Cole and Joey Patterson, Second Flight – Todd Reid and Johnny Pope , Third Flight -Mark Torres and Shayne Burger, Fourth Flight – Carlos Santana and Jamie Perez.