The Week That Was

This week’s featured match saw Jim Marnie take on Eric La Francis. Marnie opened things up nicely with a birdie on the opening hole to go one up.  But, that didn’t last long as a bogey 4 on the 11^th saw La Francis halve the match. Marnie grabbed the 12^th with a bogey and then Marnie’s golf game crapped out on him as he literally hooked his tee shot through the wooden bridge on the 13^th and it didn’t even hit the bridge. His ball nestled close to the hazard but a crappy 2^nd shot found it’s way on the other side of the hazard and he needed to take a drop. I could go on and point out every shot but I would run out of room. Needless to say Marnie lost the hole and the match was tied. Marnie bounced right back with a bogey on 14 to go one up but is now down only 4 strokes. La Francis wins 15 and they halve 16 and 17. On 18 the long ball hitting La Francis finds himself in the right rough but only about 165-170 out and Marnie finds the mogul. Marnie chops it out and still finds himself a ways a way and La Francis reaches in two but his ball rests down in the back left corner of the green.   Could have been an eagle if the pin was down there. Marnie’s 3^rd shot hit the hill next to the right side trap and it slowed it down enough to leave him with about a ten-foot putt for birdie. La Francis was a mile away and putted to within 3 feet to gain a gimmie from Marnie.  Marnie with nerves of steel drained the putt and salvaged a much-needed point for his team. La Francis wins 11-9. La Francis 40 Marnie 45.

Duzenli teed off against P. Comeau and Duzenli came out like gangbusters as he went one up after the first hole and then with halves on 11 & 12 Duzenli captured 13 and 14 to go 3 up with 4 to play. Comeau was able to hang in there with halves on 15, 16, and 17 but on 18 Comeau bounced back with a nice bogey to grab 2 more crucial points for his team. Duzenli spanks Comeau 13-7. Duzenli 44 Comeau 49.

Dominick D’ Orio and Rich Juknavorian squared off and after a halve on 10 D’ Orio snagged a one up lead after 11. Juknavorian was to take no prisoners as he stormed out to capture 12, 13 and 14 they halved 15 and 16 as D’ Orio was stroking on 16 and Juke closed the match out on 17 and Duzenli captured a much needed point for his team on 18. D’ Orio gets swamped 14-6 by Juke. D’ Orio 54 Juke 44.

Berry vs Waterman is always a classic battle and this week these two warriors proved they can play with the best of them. After both players parred 10 Waterman took 11 with a par and then Berry returned the favor by winning 12 with a par. Berry started to go back to his old ways with a double on 13 and a triple on 14 to go down 2 but  a nice par on 15 seemed to help Berry turn things around as he birdied 16 to halve the match. Then with a nice par on 17 Berry went dormie and both players halved 18 and Berry defeats Waterman 11-9. Berry & Waterman shoot 40.

Duffield and Landry took each other on and Duffield took full control of this match after the 11th hole as he reeled off 5 straight victories when Landry finally halved the 17^th hole. Duffield poured salt on Landry’s wounds as he birdied 18.  Duffield was an early leader for MVP when he had to miss a week and that may have hurt his chances but this week Duffield wins big 17-3. Duffield 40 Landry 52.

Alan Imlach faced off against league leading MVP Tom Hale and Hale proved why he is the leagues top candidate for MVP as Hale took 3 out of the first 4 holes to go 3 up and with a halve on 14 Hale bounced back and won 15. Imlach not giving up captured 16 only to give it right back to Hale as Hale won 17 and Imlach snagged 2 more crucial points for his team by parring 18. Hale wins big 14-6. Imlach 51 Hale 41.

Glenn Acciard and Norm Comeau matched up this week and Acciard started off strong with a “Career” Birdie on 10 and Comeau bounced back with a nice par on 11 to tie the match. They halved 12 and then Comeau took off and won 13, 14 and 15 to go 3 up with 3 to play. They halved 16 and then Acciard won 17 with a par but it was too late and Comeau parred 18 to finish his trouncing of Acciard by winning 14-6 Acciard 43 Comeau 40.

Dennis Croteau and Rick Maloney teed off against each other and this was the type of match where perseverance paid off for Maloney. “Never give up” should be his motto. Croteau started to cruise by going four up and then on the dreaded 14^th Maloney captured his first hole and started his comeback. They halved 15 and Maloney won 16 but gave it right back on 17 and then Maloney nicely won 18 to salvage a big 2 points for his team but it wasn’t enough as Croteau won 11-9. Croteau 48 Maloney 47.

Skip Gray and Vinny Serafino played the closest match of the day as they see sawed back and forth with Serafino going one up after the 15^th hole. Gray started to take control with a victory on 16 and 17 but Serafino won 18 and this match was even Steven on holes and strokes. Can’t get much closer than that. Congrats guys on a great match. 10-10 and both players shoot 45. Well done.

Bob Trottier and George Vigneault also played a tight match as they halved the 10^th and with another birdie by the “Birdie King”, Trottier went one up on 11 and with the 12^th hole being a jinx for Trottier, Vigneault halved the match. Vigneault captured 13 and 14 to put Trottier on his heels but that didn’t shake Trottier as a par on 15 and guess what a birdie on 16 halved the match for Trottier. They halved 17 and Trottier’s distance on 18 proved to much for Vigneault as Trottier for the 3^rd time this season cards 3 birdies in one round to take this very close match 12-8. Trottier 37 Vigneault 39.

Norm Pelletier took on Bill Wilson this week and with injuries mounting on Wilson it was a big surprise to see Wilson turn in one of his better rounds as Wilson turns the tables on Pelletier and wins big 13-7.  Wilson broke his toe and with a sore back the week before Wilson is primed to turn things around in the 2^nd half.  Pelletier dropped the10th and then went on a tear to take 11, 12 and 13^th only to find Wilson storming back to win 14, 15 and 16 and they halved 17 with Wilson 1 up Pelletier needed a win. Wilson in Wilson classic form birdied 18 to capture the victory and send Pelletier’s team into the basement. Wilson shoots an impressive 37 and Pelletier the ever steady golfer shoots a nice 3 over 38.

In the final match of the day we saw Jay McGillicuddy take on his nemesis Steve King and this was the week McGill finally turned his game around with a trouncing victory over Steve King. McGill knows he can not make a mistake against King and this week it was King who made mistakes. King dubbed his tee shot off the tenth tee and was just short of the hazard when he uncharacteristically shot his ball right back into the hazard. King asked McGill if he made his next shot would it be a 4? McGill concurred and could only think the impossible could come true. Well, it nearly did as King’s approach shot from behind the hazard nestled a couple of feet from the hole for a gimmie 5. Great shot Steve. McGill was safely on in 2 and his lag put came up short and McGill needed a tester for par and he made the putt to go one up. They halved 11, 12 and 13 and with McGill stroking on 14 pars to go 2 up. McGill pars 15 and King’s wayward tee shot on 15 handcuffs him and bogey is not enough and King finds himself 3 down. On 16 McGill makes an easy par and King doubles and McGill makes another easy par on 17 and they halve 18 and McGill shoots a well deserved one over par 36 to take low medalist for the week and King shoots a respectable 41 only to find himself losing 16-4 for the second time against McGill this year.

Next Wednesday June 6^th will decide who wins MVP and the first half of the season to play in the championship round at the end of the season. Who will win???