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Singles Match I :: ColumbusStorm vs Corwyn
Match confirmed for Friday 5/29 at 10pm WGT time
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Russ and I finished an epic match that went all the way to the last, ending in a tie, All Square.
(I really wish WGT wouldn't put something false on one's profile: I have an entry showing I won, which I didn't, and we finished it with Suggest to Drop Match, not a disconnect).
Firstly, thank you Russ for being so patient. It turned out I couldn't start at 10pm as planned and when we finally got going, once again experienced Loading/Disco issues, but again was fine as soon as we reversed the set-up person.
I don't know how Russ kept his eyes open as we ended after 3am his time! And he has a 6am tee time (WGT time) for his other Foursomes: in 5hrs 4.5hrs from now.
We had a bizarre thing going on the front 9 where Russ would hit his tee shot and/or 2nd shot within feet or even inches of mine, with metronomic precision. Part way through the 9 we reversed roles and I got some benefit of seeing his shot first. I've never had that happen so often in a match!
Here's the card and tale of the tape:
Oh, and I grabbed a replay capture too close to the next shot and got stuck with this really annoying Share button visible on my screen. My mouse cursor kept highlighting it on the backswing/downswing as well. Not the best aid to concentration, lol!
#1 struck a nice 3rd to 2yds and sunk 6ft for par, but Russ left his 5ft par putt short (green speed snafu). C won with Par: ROW 1 UP
#2 2nd caught downslope and ran 6yds past, pushed 20ft putt low. Russ got a very unlucky lip-out from just inside my position. Halved in Par.
#3 dinged dr but stopped quick, then pushed very makeable 14ft. Russ buried his 13 footer dead centre. R won with Birdie: A/S
#4 Poor course management left me with ugly sidehill lie for 3rd shot, and played too safe and stayed on top level, from where I couldn't get any closer than 14ft. Russ had taken a better route and played a nice 3rd to 15ft long but missed from there. Corwyn's uphill 14 footer just shaved the hole. R won with Par: USA 1 UP
#5 2nd on but way short, Russ found fringe right 47ft, lagged to 4ft, while, Corwyn's 41ft effort came close to 1.5ft. Halved in Par.
#6 Both played this hole badly. I thought I could clear right bunker with 2nd, but underestimated downhill lie, crashing into lip. Meanwhile, Russ played left but chased into left bunker and found horrible sidehill downhill lie, from where he could only advance into 50-60 sand. My bunker escape had to be short (wasn't sure I could clear lip with any more club) then hit nice lag from 54. Russ got out but 13 long and had another lipout. C won with bogey. A/S
#7 Another ugly hole from both of us: C pulled 16ft par putt, while Russ found rough with 2nd and came up short with 3rd: then missed his 7ft bogey putt. C won with bogey: ROW 1 UP
#8 Both of us underclubbed with side-by-side uphill lies for 3rd shots. Russ to 41 C to 38, and both went 5ft long but saved with tricky par putts. Halved in Par
#9 C left tee shot short 8yds in front fringe (trouble doing complicated math at this time of night, lol!), and came close with fringe putt . Meanwhile Russ hit beauty to 5ft and made birdie. AS
#10 too long on 2nd, R got wtf moment with good shot that went straight right to bunker, but he played escape to perfection to a couple of feet. Corwyn's birdie try slightly pushed just when ding needed, arrgghh. Halved in Par
#11 both just short in 2, C with ugly sidehill lie after pulled 2nd. Corwyn missed 8ft curler, and Russ followed suit from 7.4ft. Halved in Bogey
#12 Again both hit almost identical tee shots, C pitched to 1yd long left, while Russ to 2 below. Both made their putts: R from 4.6ft, C from 2.6ft. Halved in Birdie
#13 3rd too hot 9yds away in end, but came close with 28ft try. Meanwhile Russ tried played over ridge on left side and got it to hold via that route, then sunk beauty 14ft putt to win with par. USA 1 UP
#14 3rd too long full 70fbs while Russ got his to 10ft utilizing right bank. C missed from 20ft leaving it short of pace and low, but Russ couldn't convert either. Halved in Bogey
#15 Russ went way left with his tee shot, while Corwyn then stiffed his to 3ft. But just as C sensed an opportunity, Russ struck perfect matchplay moment by canning his 23 footer dead centre. Halved in Birdie.
#16 C struck 2nd as planned but didn't roll on as expected (slower greens), while Russ had found trouble on right with another shot that went right on him. C missed low again from 23ft but Russ could only get to 7ft from nasty spot clinging onto rough by right-side bunker. Missed his big curler. C's 2-putt enough to win hole in Par. A/S
#17 C well short and right with tee shot, misjudged, but Russ couldn't take advantage, hitting a big pull 32ft onto low shelf. Russ came close with his try while C pushed 25f effort (again!). Halved in Par.
#18 Really appreciated different tee boxes and challenge of it being hard to practice for this event. Came to 2nd shot with no idea where the flat spots were: opted for right-side and found nasty downhiller 90-odd yards out. That left no option with 3rd but to hope for roll back from hitting long, which I got. Russ meanwhile took left route, but couldn't stop his SW approach, which ran 19ft long. His birdie try slid by and then Corwyn had 12ft putt for the win, which he dinged but had slightly misread, and even though I got what I thought was "the pause" it hung on the left lip. Hole halved in Par. A/S to finish!
Actually, I wasn't in the least bit disappointed to miss the putt, and was actually still thinking I wish I'd done a Nicklaus and acted on inclination to concede Russ' longer putt but was unsure if he wanted chance to try and share birides to finish. A/S was definitely the right result from a very enjoyable and closely fought match, never more than a hole in it, with both of us shooting +4.