Fired up and full of ammunition I approached this week early.
Whilst it seemed unlikely, I backed last year’s winner, Harrington should have
been insulted to be priced up at 90s. Brutal as the course was, 90s was an
insult for a man who won the tournament last year, and still had all four
limbs. Also given consideration for last year was Berger, the runner up.
And additional shots were fired at Mickleson, Matsuyama, Fowler,
Walker, Garcia, Grace, Kisner (nearly leading the FedEx), Fitzpatrick,
Lingmerth and Zach Johnson. Johnson was another golfist who should have felt
insulted by being priced at 45s. Justin Thomas should also have been insulted
by his price of 80s. So I backed him too. My pick for the double was Kisner and
Oleson. The deconstructive Dane looked set for victory. Also selected in the
ISPS were Scrivener, Ilonen and Bjerregaard. I opted to avoid Oosty, This was
his 4th tournament in a row, and he had accredited more air-miles than an
albatross.
Phil started off well and Fowler did too. At the end of the play
on Friday I was being offered a third of my total payout on Rickie, but as
previously described, cash out is for mugs. Rickie had belted out two bogey
free 66s and looked set to completely bounce back from his play off defeat two
weeks prior. He then shot +4 on Saturday. Tits.
Come Sunday I had a
fair bit of contention in the Honda Classic but the European Tour interest was
Scrivener, whom I only had to win. So I decided to reload and had several doubles
on Wattel and Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia and Rickie Tickie Fowler. Wattel had
just shot a 65, tied for best round of the day, and was only three behind the
Oostman. I was still counting on Oosthuizen to get tuckered out and not be able
to compete, crumbling away and allowing my flourishing Frenchman to power
through with another seven under and take the biscuit. But no, my dreams were
still not meant to be and King Louis was not deposed by the (un)conquering
French, and the Open Championship runner-up shot one under for the title, and
Wattel withered and couldn't quite rally another 65. The doubles were woofed.
Meanwhile in the
Honda Classic I wasn't terribly placed, but I needed a win. Sergio was also
only for the win. So was Fowler. My only each way interest was Thomas.
Sergio and Scott
traded blows throughout the final day and El Nino still gave me hope. Scott did
appear to be the stronger of the two, but I had faith in the man from Borriol
was giving me hope. Garcia was level after 9. Adam bogeyed the 9th after being
in the water for 2, but he was still one under for the day and was leading
Sergio. Scott was well off to the left on the long par four 10th, and missed
the green again and made bogey for back to back plus ones.
El Nino, the Spanish
conquistador was now back in the driving seat. He made a good two putt par and
progressed to the 11th. He perfectly positioned himself in the fairway. Ready
to amp up the pressure, Sergio swiftly put one short of the green, narrowly
avoiding the water. He knocked it to four feet for his up and down. He missed
and made bogey. Scott made par and was back on top.
Scott stood up to the
12th, ready to strike back and battered one in to the right bunker. Garcia
positioned himself well in the fairway. I find it difficult to describe what
happened next. It was awful because it spelled the end for my campaign for the
win. But it was a moment of golfing excellent. When you are a top golfist, you
will find it difficult to do this ever. This is a once in a lifetime shot. Strapping
Scott slung in a beautiful shot from the bunker to 2 feet. Scott was two ahead.
Rickie had long dropped out of the running.
Almost identical pars on the 13th left me in the same
situation. I was two behind with 5 to play. Again.
But my man Sergio
gave me hope again. He'd been driving mutantly well all week and seemed to have
found a way to power a fade through the sky and not lose any distance. After
the tee shots he had 34 yards on Scott. Scott put it to 52 feet and two putted.
El Nino put it to 6 feet and one putted. 1 behind, four to play. Three of those
four holes were affectionately named the bear trap. I was hopeful. Adam had a
quadruple bogey on the 15th yesterday after going in the water twice. Sergio
has the honour, and put it to 42 feet. It wasn't in the water at least. Adam
put it to 29 feet and both two putted for par.
Both bogeyed the 16th
after some pretty poor short gaming. I was still one behind, with holes running
out.
Disaster. Sergio, probably fearing the water held on
to one of his shots a little, and missed the green badly, and Adam put himself
to 20 feet. Sergio's second, over the bunker, left him with 12 feet. Adam
barely missed his birdie putt and made par. Sergio almost burnt the hole, and
made bogey. I was two behind with one to play. Justin Thomas was just about to
secure 3rd place so I would make money either way. But I wasn't without hope.
The Par 5 18th was makeable.
Both players drove
within 2 yards of one another. Sergio pulled out the 3 wood and was ready to go
for the green, with the beautiful power fade he'd been playing so well. Again,
probably scared of the water he held on to it a bit, and damn near killed
someone in the gallery. He got up and down for birdie, forcing Adam Scott to
make his 2 and a half footer for par and the win, which he did.
He deserved the win.
But I wanted the money.
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