History has been made, boys!
Jared and I have had many battles over the last year.....all of which have gone his way. He seemingly was the one guy that I just could never get over the hump with.......until today. It took an amazingly hot start for me to win the match too. I birdied the first 5 holes at Oakmont to take a 2 up lead....and when I birdied #7 and took a 3 up lead.....I knew what was coming.....the Jared Express. That mofocut the lead to 2 after a completely ridonkulous putt on hole #9. I was screwing with him and told him that "this was his SportsCenter moment, right here" and damned if he didn't make that putt from back right of the hole.....you know the one that goes off the front of the green if you miss it. He only played it perfectly.....plunk....dead nuts, like it had effing eyes!
We halved hole 10 with birds, then I lost holes 11 and 12 as he made birds and nearly holed out for eagle on 12. I knew he had gotten his groove back. But as we all know too well, WGT giveth, and taketh away. Jared's tee shot on #13 metered right into the bunker and left him an impossible up and down....so I took a 1up lead after 13. Ho-hum birdies on #14.....and we both played like donks on #15 and halved with up and down pars.
Hole #16, I smoked to the back part of the green as Jared left his pin high, but about 13 feet away. I lagged my long downhiller to within a foot, and Jared didn't quite play enough break on his banana-swinger....so I remained 1 up going into 17. We both had to lay up on 17 with the wind totally in our faces. I hit my approach to about 10 feet and Jared to 12 feet. He missed his swinger and instantly said gg. Of course, my putt broke a stack....but with nerves of jelly, I shakily sank the bender for a 2&1 victory. I think that makes me 1-93 all time against Jared. I guess that maybe we'll go with the "due theory" here.
Great match as always, Jared. There are none better than you, my friend.