The 97th Norwich Invitational championship match will tee off Saturday over a month from the originally scheduled date.

It should be worth the wait.

It will pit 2018 champion Chris DeLucia vs. first-time finalist Holden Sullivan.

DeLucia, a long-time Norwich Golf Course member, basically grew up on the course and knows every single blade of grass there. He broke the course record with an 8-under 63 in 2012. He recently won his 12th men’s club championship.

Last June, Sullivan capped a stellar high school career at RHAM in Hebron by winning the CIAC Division II state title by three strokes and then tying for 8th in the State Open. He earned medalist honors and the top seed during Norwich Invite qualifying by firing a 5-under 66.

A big crowd is expected to be on hand for the final when it tees off at 4 p.m.

“We’ve gotten so many phone calls,” Norwich pro Mike Svab said on Wednesday. “We could have a couple hundred people here watching. It just seems like the interest is high. And the weather is going to cooperate. It should be a lot of fun.”

Unlike back on July 16 when heavy rain forced the final to be rescheduled until Saturday, the weather forecast is calling for a beautiful day.

“It’s going to be perfect,” Svab said. “Perfect for all of us, which is great. It beats the first weekend.”

Spectators should arrive early if they want to rent a golf cart to follow the match. Cost per cart is $40.

DeLucia and Sullivan have been playing terrific golf this summer.

“They’re different players, but I think it is going to be a good match,” Svab said. “We’re all hoping for a good match. We all hope it’s not lopsided one way or another like last year’s final.”

Last year, former UConn and Parish Hill golfer Nick Harrington took control early and rolled to a 5 and 4 win over Austin Cilley for his third title.

Svab, who’s seen both Sullivan and DeLucia play, provided a scouting report on Saturday’s showdown.

“He’s an explosive, aggressive player,” Svab said of Sullivan. “He’s a good player. He shot 66 and was the medalist. If you can shoot 66, you can play. I think he’s mature beyond his years. He’s a smart kid.”

“Chris has been playing really well. He won the club championship this past weekend. Chris is so solid, it’s unbelievable. He doesn’t get rattled. He’s been there.”

Both golfers racked up some impressive wins on the road to the championship match.

Sullivan, who’ll attend UConn this fall, knocked off former champion Kevin Marcoux on the 20th hole in the quarterfinals. He reached the final with a 2 and 1 win over Sean Vigue in the semifinals.

DeLucia, a St. Bernard High School graduate, defeated Harrington, 2 and 1, in the Round of 16 and Steve Chevalier, the Shennecossett men’s club champion, 2 and 1, in the semifinals.

The course will be set up exactly like it was on July 16.

“We’re going to put the pins in exactly the same spots where they should have been on that day,” Svab said. “Our superintendent is coming back after the last greens fee player group goes out around 12:30 or one o’clock and he’s going to follow play and recut all the greens, rake all the bunkers and we’re going to roll everything.

“The course should play really well.”

Short putts

• In other news at Norwich Golf Course, DeLucia emerged as the men’s club champion in the four-round competition, firing a 1-over 285 (68-72-70-75) to win by six strokes. His brother Jeff DeLucia and Steve Gambeski tied for second at 291. Jeff had rounds of 72-73-74-72 and Gambeski went 70-77-70-74.

David Derosier won the first flight with a 306 (77-72-79-78) and Gary Everett was the runner-up at 311 (77-76-84-74). Paul DeLucia captured the second flight at 319 (77-85-78-79) and Norm Bourdon was the third flight champion.

In the women’s club championship, Lorie Jakubowski was the winner and Donna Homiski the runner-up.

Dave McNally fired a 65 to win overall champion honors at the Norwich Senior Invitational on Aug. 10. Tim Murray won the freshman flight (50-59 years old) with a 71, nipping runner-up Steve Chevalier by one stroke. McNally (65) also was the sophomore flight champion (60-69) and Doug Smith (71) won the junior flight (70 and above).

In the net division, Shayne McAvoy (freshman flight), Demo Angelopoulos (sophomore flight) and Stan Lucas (junior flight) were crowned champions.

• Stonington Country Club recently held its Championship Sunday.

Pete Stefanski defeated Gus Brucker to capture the men’s club championship. While Stefanski is a first-time winner at the club, he previously won titles at Elmridge, Pequot and Shennecossett. Zorah Williams earned her third straight women’s title by beating Michelle Murphy.

Other winners included: Ben Berte, men’s senior; Jim Rooney, men’s senior net; Steve Carlow, men’s super senior; John Urban, men’s super senior net; and Andrew Maderia, open division. Maderia won his match on the 19th hole while Carlow clinched his victory with a birdie on the final hole.

In other Stonington news, Fred Ziegler recently recorded his second career hole-in-one, accomplishing the feat on the second hole while Pat McGuire (16th hole) and Michelle Murphy (No. 12) each had their first ace.

• At River Ridge Golf Course in Griswold, Lucas Hanley won the men’s club championship with a two-round total of 156, beating defending champion Glenn Gasparino (160) by four strokes. Sue Millovitsch captured the women’s title with a 150 and Karen Brouwer took second at 155.

Brian Carroll finished first in the men’s handicap division while Tony Schena earned the senior title.

• At Pequot Golf Club in Stonington, Kevin Turley outlasted defending champion Tom Allen down the stretch to win the men’s senior club championship. Steve Woods earned net champion honors.

• Jeff Riley of Black Hall Club and Andrew Cavasino of Great Neck Country Club tied for third with a 1-under 69 on Monday to qualify for 36th Connecticut Mid-Amateur Championship. Brian Zito of Black Hall (71), Rob Tedoldi Jr. of Connecticut National (72), Mike Thompson of Black Hall (73) and Thomas Butcher of Norwich Golf Course (74) also moved on from the qualifier, which was held at Wintonbury Hills Golf Course in Bloomfield.

The 36th Connecticut Mid-Amateur Championship is set for Aug. 29-30 at Country Club of Farmington.

• Killingly High School graduate Fletcher Babcock finished tied for 16th at the Connecticut PGA Open held earlier this week at Lyman Orchards Golf Club in Middlefield. He shot a 2-over 146 (74-72). Jason Thresher of West Suffield won the title with an 8-under 136 (68-68).

Upcoming events

• The 83rd Connecticut Four-Ball Championship will tee off Aug. 25 at Wallingford Country Club.

• Norwich Golf Course will hold its women’s and men’s four ball tournaments on Aug. 26.

• Shane Marchenkoff of Stonington Country Club will compete in the Connecticut Assistant Professional Championship on Aug. 28 at Crumpin-Fox Golf Club in Bernardston, Mass.

• Great Neck Country Club and Old Lyme Country Club will run their club championship matches on Monday, Sept. 4.

• Shennecossett’s senior club championship competition starts Aug. 27. The final is set for Sept. 10.

• Please send your golf results, aces and interesting golf related stories to g.keefe@theday.com