With the tournament over as a contest minds were relaxed as the players headed
out for a curry and a few orange juices on Saturday evening. In a break from the
strictly planned tournament schedule and much to the bemusement of the onlookers
at The Light of Bengal the players held an impromptu draw to determine the order
of the next day’s play. After the hours of agonising at the same stage in
2007 and the well documented “tactical feeling up” dished out by Team
South that ensued this break from tradition was a welcome relief for Team North.
Rumours flew around the restaurant that one half of the sheets of paper were hastily
microwaved but nonetheless the eight half cut Project Golfers succeeded where
the Scottish FA had failed before and completed the draw without controversy but
with no little drama.
First out of the pot was a tasty looking tie between form man of the tournament
Donald and local favourite Mutch. It would be a battle between the form hitter
and the wily old head with an intimate knowledge of every section of rough on
his home course.
Second to be drawn were Gibson and MacLachlan. Secretly both players may well
have hoped for this draw having crossed putters on numerous occasions over the
well-trodden paths of the Braids. With little more than the odd slice of luck
having separated them in the past a tight contest was certain.
With only four names left in the pot all parties were on tender hooks to see if
the inevitable would happen. Fate is never one to disappoint as the third draw
left the altogether familiar pairing of The Butcher and Grant to do battle while
perhaps fittingly Team Captains Booth and Watt would have the honour of closing
the tournament as the final pairing.
And so to the final morning and the fitting setting of Hazlehead number one course.
After much rainfall during the night the local players were well aware that the
course would be wet but unperturbed play commenced. The competition may have been
over but personal battles were set to be waged with endless bragging rights at
stake.
Pictures from Hazlehead, click to enlarge.
Mutch and Donald were first to tee off but both found trouble with their drives
to made hard work of the first. Mutch took it with a 6 to Donald’s 7 but
a reverse of those scores at the next levelled the game. The next two holes were
halved in bogie and par before Mutch once again slipped one hole ahead at the
short par 5th. As before he could not hold the lead and posted an 8 at the tough
6th to allow Donald to square the match. Three further halves followed to see
the tie all square at the turn.
A similar story was developing in the group behind as MacLachlan failed to capitalise
after three times taking a one hole lead. After halving the first in 5s a 6 at
the long 2nd from Gibson allowed MacLachlan to move one up. However, Gibson immediately
struck back with a par at the next proving too good for MacLachlan’s bogie.
MacLachlan responded with a par of his own at the next before a half at the 5th
left him once more one up. The ever unreliable MacLachlan drive came into the
fray at the sixth peppering the tree line on the left. It was only after a return
to the tee to play a provisional that the original ball was located considerably
further up the fairway than either player had anticipated. It proved to be to
no avail as MacLachlan went on to post a 7 and the tie was squared. Showing some
Lazarus like tendencies MacLachlan bounced back at the next to post a birdie after
a drive that also narrowly missed trouble in the trees. Amid murmurs of complaint
to himself that it was ridiculous that such good golf could follow a terrible
hole the demon of inconsistency struck again at the next. Despite opting for the
safe option of 4-iron off the tee no less than two MacLachlan efforts sailed into
the abyss on the left never to be seen again. Invoking Project Golf rules a drop
was made from near the point of disappearance of the second effort and a somewhat
dubious 6 was carded. Gibson wasted no time in punishing the lapse with a fine
regulation par and a half at the next left the tie on a knife-edge at the turn
all-square.
Starting at pairing three McGregor and Grant were making hard work of the opening
holes. After four holes McGregor was 2up but had posted a 5, a 9 and two 6s. Fortunately
his poor form was not punished as Grant suffered a start of three 7s and an 8
although it should be noted that the latter score was good enough to win the 2nd
hole! Both players began to acclimatise to their surroundings and after going
3 down at the 5th Grant pulled back two holes with steady 5s and 4s. The contest
was swaying towards Grant but the par 3 9th once again proved that McGregor is
a master on the short holes as he made par to leave himself 2up at the turn.
Taking (it) up the rear were the pairing that everyone had wanted to see in Booth
and Watt. Having vanquished some personal demons in the foursomes Watt was in
confident mood although knew that on his day Booth could be an almost untouchable
opponent. The first two holes were shared but an uncharacteristic 6 from Booth
followed by par from Watt allowed a two hole lead for the Team North captain to
develop after hole 4. The pendulum continued to sway with Booth winning the next
in par although another 6 and a monster putt from just off the green allowed Watt
to regain his two hole advantage after having put his second shot in trouble.
A hook at the 8th and subsequent lost ball cost Watt that hole to once more let
Booth back in but a fine 4 saved from the sand at the 9th was enough to win that
hole and allow Watt to take a two hole lead into the back 9.
In the Donald and Mutch pairing the tide began to turn in favour of the Team South
man as a few loose holes from Mutch began to tell. Donald had moved to one up
at 10 only to be hauled back at 12 following a par from Mutch. Donald swiftly
responded over the next two holes and after an 8 from Mutch at the 14th a two
hole lead was established for the first time in the tie. It was to mark a turn
in fortunes as despite a hole pulled back over the long par 5 15th a birdie 2
at the 16th left Donald dormie 2. Victory was confirmed at the 17th as another
8 was Mutchy allowed Donald to post a fine 3&1 victory to cap off what had
been an excellent week for him.
Now playing as the second pairing after being let through by MacLachlan and Gibson
Grant was once again beginning to suffer at the end of the cool blades of The
Butcher. Two pars after the turn allowed McGregor to lead four up and bogies at
the next two holes confirmed another point for Team South with a 6&5 victory.
Grant can only have been left wondering if he will ever get a chance to play someone
other than the tournaments all time record point scorer but that question will
need to wait until 2009 to be answered.
Gibson and MacLachlan resumed their struggle with a half in 5s at the 10th. Despite
having lost the lead on three previous occasions and fearing as always the ever
present likelihood of a severe loss of form MacLachlan steadied himself to post
two back to back pars at the 11th and 12th to move 2 up. The decisive moment in
the match was to come at the 13th as MacLachlan zig zagged the fairways to end
in the far side bunker after four. Gibson had made steady progress to the green
in three and it looked to all that MacLachlan’s lead would be shortly halved.
A fortuitous shot out of the bunker via the front face left MacLachlan with a
20 foot plus putt for 6. Gibson however had placed his first putt to within 3
feet. Having proven to be something of an uneasy companion over the previous three
days the legendary Hell to Toe putter sprang into life and the MacLachlan putt
disappeared to put some pressure on Gibson. It was a pressure which told and much
to his own disbelief and anger the three foot putt slipped by and a mightily relieved
MacLachlan left the green with an undeserved half to preserve a two hole advantage.
Clearly buoyed by this good fortune MacLachlan found some form to par the next
beating a 6 from Gibson to move to dormie 3. A wayward shot at the short 16th
put Gibson in trouble and from there victory was assured for MacLachlan with a
4&2 win.
In the last pairing Booth was refusing to lie down without a fight. He immediately
halved Watt’s lead at the 10th with bogie before a highly uncharacteristic
9 at the 11th allowed Watt to regain his advantage. The seesaw tipped once again
after Watt’s tee shot ended out of bounds but was followed by a half. It
was at this point that Watt sensed a real possibility that this may prove to be
his day. Drawing from the memory of victory in the foursomes the day before he
upped the pace with three pars on the bounce running through the long 14th and
15th and the short 16th. This burst proved too much for the usually unflappable
Booth and he could do nothing to allow Watt to post a second successive singles
victory 3&2 thanks to a very solid round of 88.
Donald
3&1 win over Mutch McGregor
6&5 win over Grant MacLachlan
4&2 win over Gibson Watt 3&2
win over Booth
Day 4 Score:
It brought to an end a highly successful weekend with another fabulous victory
for Team South. Many factors can be attributed to their victory but everyone was
agreed that the man of the tournament was the quite remarkable Donald. Emerging
from the shadows to power Team South home with some of the best golf of his life
was too much for Team North to cope with and they can only hope that they can
find such consistency in the build up to the inevitable third match up in 2009.
Team North were largely stoic in defeat with Mutch adding “We’ll get
them next year – I’ll have lessons – it’ll be ok –
Sally, Sally, SAAALLLLLYYYYYYYY” before running off in floods of tears.
MacLachlan was heard to say “I think we should introduce handicaps next
year – would you mind passing my dummy back? I appear to have accidentally
spat it out”. Watt took a more personal take on things “Now that I’ve
beaten Booth I can’t possibly cut my hair – it’s my lucky charm
– how do you like them apples Mutchy???” whereas Grant commented “Donald,
Gibson, Booth, I’ve never heard of these people – I thought this was
simply an annual competition between me and McGregor?” Team South were as
always unavailable for comment but it is understood that The Butcher has been
placed in cryogenic storage somewhere in middle England only to be woken in time
for Project Golf 2009. Further rumours circulating that two unnamed Team South
members, accompanied by a likely suspect among the Team North ranks, were seen
veering drunkenly into a local den of ill repute following post tournament celebration,
while still in possession of the famed trophy, can neither be CONFIRMED nor denied…..
Donald
3&1 win over Mutch 
McGregor
6&5 win over Grant 
MacLachlan
4&2 win over Gibson 
Watt 3&2
win over Booth 
