Happy
Days Adds to Legacy With 2005 Touch 'Em All
Title
Having
started their team title defense in 2005 rather
flatly, just one rung from the bottom of the
early season standings, Happy Days was quickly
becoming forgotten champions. After
winning perhaps the most exciting team race in
the history of the league in 2004, it appeared
that Happy Days had lost the magic. Not
even a month into the 2005 season and they were
barely an afterthought. But it was nothing
that a major title wouldn't fix.
The
weather for the 4th TEA Tournament was stellar
-- sunny skies and temperatures in the
mid-seventies. But none of the ten teams
in this year's field was able to capitalize on
the great scoring conditions early in the day.
A tightly grouped field emerged form the best
ball portion of the tournament with Sub Standard
and Groundhog Days setting the pace with net
34's. Three teams -- Happy Days, BrewHos
and Solid Gold (with Jud Deshler subbing in for
Fry) were one shot off the lead with net 35's.
Defending TEA champs Greg May and K.C. Budzik,
now known as Deja Voodoo, were in the hunt with
a net 36, as was Thin to Win (with Smokin Joe
Barrett subbing in for Geraghty).
UnShakEbel came in with a net 37, while Hairy
Wings (with George Tzagournis subbing for Dan
Sadd) struggled to a net 38. Birdie Storm,
out to an early lead in the season team
standings, couldn't find it and was all but out
of it after the first nine with a net 40.
Clearly
the goal of the first nine holes in the TEA is
to stay in contention, but the second nine
holes, played under the scramble format, is
where teams generally make their move. Sub
Standard couldn't keep it going, slipping to a
40/37.83 and an 18 hole total of 71.83.
The other leader after nine holes, Groundhog
Days, kept the pedal to the floor. With
Scott Schoemer attempting to become the first
player in league history to hold both major
titles and his partner Webbie trying to win his
first, Groundhog Days put up an impressive
37/34.62 keeping them solidly in the hunt with a
total of 68.62. But Happy Days was not
deterred. There was no let-up as they
fired a second nine low score of 35/32.03 and
took the lead with an 18 hole score of 67.03.
Lurking in third place was Solid Gold. Rob
Burkley continued his strong play in 2005 and
with Deshler helping out posted a respectable
38/36.07 in the scramble for a total score of
71.07. Deja Voodoo, attempting to become
the first back-to-back TEA winners in league
history, was still in the hunt after carding a
38/35.33 for an 18 hole total of 71.33.
The
hopes of many TEA combatants have been shredded
on the third nine. Officially the format
is called modified alternating shot.
Unofficially it is referred to as "walking the
plank" or "screw your partner." You simply
cannot win the TEA without running the gauntlet
that is alt. shot. After a spirited 18
holes that saw several teams emerge with a
fighting chance at the 2005 TEA title, the
contest quickly became a two team race between
Happy Days and Groundhog Days.
After
applying the handicaps for the alt. shot portion
of the event, Happy Days stood at 60.68, while
Groundhog Days was at 63.31, with nine holes to
play. Happy Days was looking strong
through the first eighteen holes. Southie
appeared to have found the game that brought him
to within a few strokes of the 2005 individual
title. On the few occasions where he
faltered, Undy was right there to pick him up,
hitting several remarkable shots under intense
pressure. A par on the nineteenth hole
looked like a solid start to the third nine, but
Groundhog Days reduced the lead to less than two
shots with a birdie. Both teams struggled
to double bogeys on the 20th hole. Things
looked dire for Happy Days on the 22nd hole when
Undy found the water with his tee shot on the
short par three. But Southie picked him up
with a clutch shot to the front of the green and
they saved par. It proved to be a pivotal
moment as Webbie and Schoemer racked up their
second birdie, shaving the lead to less than a
shot.
Then
things got real interesting. A bogey by
Happy Days and a par by Groundhog Days on the
par five 22nd hole gave the lead to Webbie and
Schoemer for the first time on the final nine.
Undy and Southie regained the lead on the 24th
hole when Groundhog Days could do no better than
bogey. On the par five 25th hole,
Groundhog Days carded an unprecedented third
birdie in the alt. shot and took the lead again
with only two holes to play, setting up one of
the most dramatic finishes in TEA history.
Both
teams three putted the par three 26th hole for
bogeys. With Happy Days playing in front
of Groundhog Days, Undy and Southie posted a par
on the final hole and waited nervously to learn
their fate. Webb's drive on the final hole
left Schoemer with over 200 yards into the
green. Schoemer's 3 iron from the rough
just left of the cart path was huge, but came up
a tad short, skidding through the front
greenside bunker and coming to rest just short
of the green with a considerable amount of wet
sand clinging to the ball. Schoemer
crushed his drive down the middle, leaving Webb
a nine iron to the flag. With the league
gathered around the 27th green, expecting Dr.
Ding Dong to plant one safely in the middle of
the green a routine two-putt away from victory,
the good Dr. promptly deposited his shot into
the same greenside bunker that Schoemer through
which Schoemer had just skirted. After a
lengthy discussion, the two decided to call once
again on Dr. Ding Dong, hoping he could release
the deadly gas and set up an up and down par to
claim the championship. Webbie's chip shot
landed short of the flag and rolled toward the
cup, and rolled, and rolled, and rolled.
And then rolled some more, stopping two inches
onto the fringe. Schoemer was left with a
10 footer. The wet sand clinging to the
ball that caused Webbie's chip shot to keep
rolling off the green was still there, and
because the ball was off the green, it could not
be cleaned. Schoemer made a valiant run at
par, but the ball wobbled hopelessly by the cup
as the rowdy gallery gasped in horror.
Victory belonged to Happy Days and the bitter
taste of "almost" belonged to Webbie and
Schoemer.
Saturday! What a day! Rockin' all
week with you!
1. Southworth /
Underwood
35 / 32.03 / 34.65
101.68
