Even though I lost on the 19th hole let me first say it was a tremendous day. I was more nervous waiting for the scores to come in this morning than I was during the playoff. The playoff was at Bandon Trails and started at #1. There was 1 birdie and four bogeys - I made par. So after the first playoff hole there now 5 people for four spots. On #2 I rifled a 3-iron just past the pin and just off the green. I was 2nd to last to hit my 2nd shot and put it to 6 inches. Since two guys were putting for from 20 feet I knew I was in. After the playoff I had about 2 hours until my match.
The weather was absolutely perfect today. On the 1st hole of match I drove 90 yards from the pin in the center of the fairway to a front left pin. Tim hit what looked like a good shot and I skulled it badly over the green. I left my putt from just off the green outside of Tim's 2nd and then missed my par putt. 1 down.
Tim it short right on two and was fortunate to stay up on top. Pin was back right. I then missed short left and rolled all the way down the hill. From a sand divot I hit a low sand wedge all the way up the back stop behind the green and rolled it back down the hill for a gimme. Tim chipped to gimme range as well.
On three we both halved missing makeable birdie putts.
Four I hit driver, four iron to a back left pin to about 15-18 feet. Tim missed middle left and chipped to about 6 or 8. I missed he made and was still 1 down.
On five we both hit the fairway. Pin was cut middle right and I missed right in the bunker. Tim was on about 25-30 feet. I hit an okay bunker shot to 12 feet or so. Tim ran his by about 6 feet. I made, he missed - all square.
On 6 we both hit the green with the pin cut in the front. I three putted from about 20 feet and Tim two putted. 1 down
On 7 the pin was in the front middle. Tim missed a relatively long birdie putt and I lipped out from about 20 feet. I thought for sure it was in. Still 1 down.
On 8 the pin was back left. I hit 9 iron to 30-35 feet and Tim then hit a wedge about 50-60 feet. He came up 6 feet short and I made to get back to even.
On 9 Tim hit it about 75 yards short in two and I was about 45 yards from the pin in two. He hit it to about 3 feet. I then hit it to about 6 feet. We both made - still even.
On 10 I drove left of the last central bunker and Tim went left. I had 156 and hit a cut 7 iron to about 12-15 feet. Tim was about 20 feet. He missed and I made (for my third birdie in a row) to go 1 up.
Pin was just short of middle on the right on 12. I hit it in the left pot bunker. Tim was on about 15-18 feet of the hole. I hit a good bunker shot to 6-8 feet. Tim missed I made to halve and stay 1 up.
On 13 I laid to 100 yards just in the right rough and Tim hit in the swale short right of the green in two. The pin was middle left in the bowl. My third was about two feet short of going down into the collection area were the pin was. Tim left his well short then ran his putt 6 feet past. I three putted for the second time from less than 20 feet and lost the hole. All square.
Fourteen the pin was fron left. I pulled a wedge badly and missed the green left. Tim hit it two about 10-12 feet. I came up four feet short and he made. 1 down.
Fifteen the back was slightly back and on the left. Tim just missed going in the deep bunker on the right. I hit it to about 15-18 feet. He missed and I made (I heard it was only the second birdie of the day on the hole) - all square.
Did I say 16 was an easy hole? I hit my drive a little right of where I wanted and ended up in the rough on the ridge bisecting the fairway. Tim was in the top fairway. I hit in the hazard long right. Tim wedged to about 20-25 feet. I then dropped and putted from the fringe about 6 feet past the hole. His lag was about 3-4 feet away. I missed for a double and conceded. 1 down.
17 the pin was back right. We both were on in two but about 50 feet away. I lagged first to about 3-4 feet. I lagged it to gimme range. I made to keep the match going. 1 down.
On 18 Tim had run out of tees. He said, "I hate to ask this but I can borrow a tee?" I said sure. Before he hit he said, "After you birdie this hole I'll need another tee from you on 19."
We both hit good drives. I had 260 to the pin and hit first, putting it just left of the green, about 35-40 feet away. Tim went for it in to and put it the most right bunker short of the green. His bunker shot didn't get over the ridge. I lagged to gimme range and he missed. All square and on 19.
I asked the observer if we could play 19 now or if we'd have to wait until the morning. He said if we got a ball in the air before the horn blew we could play the hole. I ran to the tee and hit a good drive. Tim picked up a broken tee off the ground (he didn't want to borrow one from me again). As he set up the horn blew, but we were allowed to keep going. I was about 10 yards ahead of where I was the first time we played the hole and Tim was about 10 yards behind me now. I went up the hill to see where his 2nd shot was and could tell it was close. I hit a good shot to about 20 feet pin high right. I thought the putt was downhill but I guess it was uphill as I came up three feet short. (My hear was going a mile a minute and I had to take extra time reading the putt just so I could calm down.) Tim made it from about 12 feet to win the match.
So of the five holes Tim won in regulation, he only won one with a birdie. The other four I three putted from 20 feet twice, skulled one over the green on the first, and hit in the hazard on 16 from 115 yards. Four of the five holes I won were with birdies. I birdied five holes from 8 to 18. While I lost, I came away knowing I can play with anybody in this tournament.
Tim was a great competitor and I had a great time. Just wish I was playing tomorrow. I can't wait for next year.