Rockingham - Memorial Cup - Stableford
“O, Canada” rang out again after the medal ceremony on Sunday… oh sorry, wrong sport! On a day of low scores and starting numbers affected by Covid, the field that assembled at Rockingham enjoyed a course in good condition with greens that held few surprises. Fortunately, the rain held off until after everyone had finished before the heavens opened as most people were driving home. In any event, the club Canadian took home the cup ahead of a four-way tie for second place.
A pair of 16-point nines saw Mike Patton prevail to win the Memorial Cup for the second time. Only one wipe and one double bogey proved to be a winning formula in a very consistent round. (I’ll let you explain further MP). 😊
(MP: It certainly didn't feel like a major winning performance, inconsistent ball striking, few bad bounces off trees, ball suspended mid shrub in the rough, putts being knocked off line by loose impediments, inconvenient tree placement, etc. I even remarked at one point and others agreed, that it just wasn't my day today. But in hindsight, I recovered well from setbacks, scrambled a lot of pars and bogeys with the short game. As away courses can beat up our club sometimes, I checked the leaderboard on the 18th to see where I was at. Good weather, good course condition, I figured I was a solid mid pack at best. And was astounded to see that a bogey would win by one. Guess everyone was having an off day (as confirmed later at the post game). After a slightly pulled tee shot, I was about 120 out and partially blocked out by a tree. "OK, MP, just don't hit the tree, get out there somewhere near the green, chip and two putt". Missed the tree but ran through the green to the back bunker. Decent lie in the bunker and a nice up and down for par to win by two.
Hoops was on 29 points in a similar position to myself on the 18th tee, and was short of the green in two. DaveO said "A chip and two putts for the win" Unfortunately, he chipped too far onto the back tier and three putted for a single point to fall back into the group on 30 points.
FYI: 32 points is the lowest major winning score since 2015 President's Cup at The Cut won by Hammo on 31.
And now back to the MikeN report
Steve Hooper was set to fight out match play with Jack Wagner until Covid intervened at the 11th hour. 15 points around the second nine proved just enough to emerge on the right side of the four-way countback for second. Unfortunately, Lawrie Gibson’s quest for a maiden Memorial Cup has to wait until 2023 as his third-place finish fell two points short of victory. Honourable mentions also go to Captain Scott (4th) and Dave Ovel (5th), both of whom stumbled over the back nine to rob themselves of victory.
The rest of the field returned with a variety of scores in the 20’s with the unfortunate Stafford Mellowship taking out NAGA. Just the one par on the day didn’t help the cause of the 3-time major winner either. He did receive a sleeve of balls at the presentations afterwards, which had a couple of folks wishing they hadn’t played quite so well.
The ultimate near-miss story of the day has to be the scribe’s 29-point round. Once again Jekyll & Hyde golf came back to haunt him as an 8-point front nine had him considering an early exit at the halfway mark. There must have been something in the bacon & egg muffin he knocked off at the turn as he proceeded to go berserk around the second nine. 21 points (41 off the stick) included birdies on 12, 13 and 17 as his charge fell one point short of snatching an unlikely second place.
Thanks to TC for his generous sponsorship of the day and for club copper Craig Markham for sorting out lunch. Thanks also to those who purchased range balls and raised a few more dollars for the club.
Next week sees the club back at Collier for a stableford round. Please get in early if you intend to play, and likewise if you have to pull out ensure you let Scott or Ryan know as soon as possible.
Winners
1st: Mike Patton (32)
2nd: Steve Hooper (30)
3rd: Lawrie Gibson (30)
NAGA: Stafford Mellowship (19)
Nearest to Pins:
Mike Newman
Tony Calder
Nearest in 2: Mike Patton
Nearest in 3: Mike Patton
Long drive A: Nigel Smith
Long drive B: Scott Robins
Money hole: Ryan Nottle