It came down to the last putt in the very last match of the day. With the first sixteen players resting after a day of spirited competition, the match was deadlocked. When Scott Hull knocked in his final putt on the eighteenth hole, it gave his team an 8-to-7 victory and possession of the Camel Cup. The boys of Gainey Ranch Golf Club defeated the team from Camelback Golf Club by the narrowest of margins.
Although a short par four hole, #14 sits atop of small plateau and is well guarded by five sand traps, it can be a tough hole to play. Getting the ball close to the hole on the second shot is a challenge. Nonetheless, Rick Brown, Brian Dunigan, Harold Hoeg and Vinny Sollitto all carded birdies on the hole. Brown, Hoeg and Sollitto had three birdies each in the round.
Certainly, one of the more exciting matches involved that between Mike Forde and Bruce Partridge on the par five #13 hole. Both were in the fairway after respectable drives. Many of the next fourteen strokes were more exciting. When the dust (and weeds and dirt and bird feathers and water splashes) had settled, Forde denied Partridge victory by running in a long putt for a triple-bogey. They tied the hole and the match. The competition remained at a feverish pitch until the last putt was missed on #18. Most other matches had to have been drab by comparison.
The Ryder Cup format seemed to be a big hit with everyone, especially the winners. Two man teams competed in head-to-head match play for one point on the front nine. Individuals then went mano-a-mano on the back nine for two more points. Gainey Ranch team captain Mike Nichols seems to be enjoying having possession of the Cup. The Camelback boys encourage him to relish the opportunity because they plan on bringing it home very soon.
Enjoy some images of the competitors.
Scottsdale Golfer News 