On Friday, August 20th, two top-rated teams met for a crucial match. It was do or die for Ken/GMcD. Lose and they were done. Win and they claim a place in the playoffs. For Bob/Glen  it was a chance to tie for first place, lose and their playoff hopes would hang by a thread.

 

First the headlines:

 

MR. NET 62 - BOB - HOLES OUT FROM THE BUNKER ON 8 FOR A CRUCIAL WIN AND MAKES A KILLER BIRDIE ON 18

THE MAESTRO PARS THREE OF THE FIRST FOUR TO GET HIS TEAM OFF TO A GREAT START

McD IMPLODES AND MELTS DOWN ON 8 AND 12 WITH DEVASTATING RESULTS

NEITHER KEN NOR GMcD CAN MAKE A BIRDIE ALL DAY

 

Ken and Gord never really had a chance. Or did they...?

 

And now the details:

 

1. Glen and Gord both make long first putts to gimme distance and pars. Ken chips from pin high for birdie but no luck. All Square.

2. Glen and Gord make pars leaving Ken and Bob to attempt makeable birdies. Ken misses. Bob misses. All Square but that was about to change.

3. Ken is the only one on. No one can get it up and down, Ken makes par and for a brief moment it's KdK/GMcD 1 up.

4. Ken and Gord stroking. Gord nicely below the hole. Ken coaches him to leave it just under the hole and he does. Tap in par/net birdie good enough to beat Glen's par. KdK/GMcD 2 up

5. Glen goes O/B and is out of it. McD goes way left and has to use 9 iron to get it into fairway. Ken has to chip from under the tree right. Bob is just off left but makes a superb chip to 3 feet and it's looking like a win. But Ken and Gord make very good chips, McD rolls his in from 6 feet and it's a push. KdK?GMcD 2 up.

6. Bob makes another excellent par. But McD s stroking, plays it safe and his bogey is sufficient for the push. KdK/GMcD 2 up.

7. Ken and Gord are on and below the hole. Glen and Bob are not. Glen's chip not close enough but Bob's is. Ken and Gord both come close with their birdie putts but no cigar. Bob rolls in his par putt (again!) for the push and it's still KdK/GMcD still 2 up but not for long.

8. McD has his first meltdown, flaring his second short and right and hitting his third 40 yards past the hole. He's toast. Glen makes it to the fringe but can't get it done and makes bogey. Ken hits a perfect pitch from 78 yards to makeable distance. Bob dumps his third into the bunker. Then lightning strikes. He holes the sand shot for par, Ken misses and the momentum has shifted. KdK/GMcD 1 up and fading fast.

9. Bob goes O/B! Glen chunks his third into the trap right. McD gets his drive past the 150 - on the first hole. He gets the second back to the fairway and leaves his third 30 below the hole. Two putts later and his par is good enough for the win. KdK/GMcD 2 up at the turn. That is all about to change.

10. Glen and Gord are barely on at the front to a blue pin. Glen's 95 foot putt gets to pin high but 12 feet left. McD takes Ken's advice to go right at the hole and it works. 18 inches, par and an unlikely win when Glen misses and Bob makes 5. KdK/GMcD 3 up

11. Things fall apart for Ken and Gord. Ken's tee shot goes 70 yards. Gord pulls his into the trap. Bob and Glen have relatively easy chips. Then Gord makes his sand shot of the season to gimme distance while Glen and Bob get sloppy and finish with bogeys. KdK/GMcD 4 up.

12. Bob goes left and has to chip out. Glen goes far right and has to hack out. McD hits a fine drive then shanks his next two. But Ken hits a perfect shot to 15 feet. His two putt par wins the hole. KdK/GMcD 5 up.

13. Everything looks like it's about to change. Bob is on while McD is about thirty yards over the green (and over the road -misread the damn distance finder!) and still not on in two while Ken and Glen are in the bushes right. Gord, Ken and Glen all make bogeys. Bob two putts for the wi... wait a minute - the second putt stays out! A push and it's dormie 5.

14.Bob and Gord are on in reg. Bob is significantly closer. Ken hits his third to 12 feet above the hole. McD misses his birdie putt. Bob does likewise. Ken rolls his putt in for par and it's all over. KdK/GMcD 5 and 4.

 

 Bob, Glen and Gord par 15. Bob makes a wonderful par on 16, everyone else pars 17 (McD after a drive of 210 down the middle - 210 feet that is) and Bob makes a fine birdie from above the hole on 18.

 

Glen 43 - 43 - 86 (net 77)

Bob 41 - 40 - 81 (net 72)

Ken 38 - 41 - 79 (net 67)

GMcD 40 - 41 - 81 (net 68)