Championship 18

1. Despite showing up 30 seconds before tee time (early in his words) Opie pipes a drive, same with AG. Bonesaw hits a 200 yard 3 wood safe in the fairway, JC blows it right. This set the tone for the day. The BSI members were money off the tee, Bonesaw was short but in the fairway, and JC dropped his club in disgust before finishing his tee shot 50% of the time.

2.  Opie and AG pipe drives and set up for birdie, Wilson has to 2-putt from distance for his par, JC skulls a drive long and opens once again. 3 Pars and the pressure is released for Bonesaw and Opie. 

3. Bonesaw tugs it left fairway, Opie tugs OB left, Crist tops it, AG long and left rough as well. JC pipes one just short of the green, unable to convert for a point. Bonesaw 3 putts for bogey, AG misses a birdie putt by inches, Opie goes open.

4. AG lands short on the green with Opie. Bonesaw and Crist come up woefully short. Neither goes up and down, Opie and AG both get their pars.

5. And now we get our first crack at AG. Up to this point he has played flawless and doused the spirits of the rest of the group. AG goes OB right after eavesdropping on a lengthy discussion Bonesaw and Opie had about how pointless driver is on the hole. Failing to heed Bonesaws advice Opie proceeds to go OB right as well. Crist and Bonesaw are in the fairway. Bonesaw hits a nifty PW to 15 feet for a stressful par after blasting one 6 feet by the hole. This was a key moment in his round, as he would play the next 6 holes (-1) par. Crist BLASTS an 8 iron long and walks away with a bogey. AG converts for a bogey.

6. Dog leg left par 4 and all 4 players find their balls in the fairway. Bonesaw goes long on the gree with JC and have to putt down a steep slope with no chance of having it stop near the pin. AG gets boned by a tree branch and comes up 70 yards short. Opie lands in the rough on the false front. Opie proceeds to CHIP IN AGAIN TO IMMEDIATELY CUT SAVI’S SKIN. Bonesaw BLASTS his putt 15 feet past the hole, JC nestles just long. AG goes up and 2 putts for a bogey. Bonesaw lines up the putt and drains the 15 footer for an incredible 2-putt save. 

At this point in the round bonesaw is rolling and likes his chances with a fading AG, Opie is a bit in front of Bonesaw but he feels like he can overcome the deficit. Surely Opie will falter eventually… Right? JC is here for the vibes at this point in the round.

7. Opie hits the only GIR in the group, Wilson AG and Crist come up short, wilson the shortest, and on brand for the round he goes up and down for another nifty par. AG unable to convert and gets his third bogey in a role, and crist gets a bogey unable to convert the up and down.

8. Bonesaw hits a straight but weak 3 hybrid in the right fairway for a 168 yard approach over the ravine. Crist is slightly better, AG is position A, and Opie tugged and was blocked out by a tree. Opie lays up. AG gets on the green for a two putt par, Bonesaw converts AGAIN for a par, JC came up short on the approach and 2 putt bogeyed, Opie was unable to convert and went open.

9. Now the hole AG and Bonesaw have been preparing for. Both players know this is their best chance for eagle which would swing momentum wildly in either players favor. Crist tugs it left and ends up in jail all the way down the left side for a bogey. Bonesaw and AG pipe drive and have a decision. Do we go for it? Or trust the short game to lay up. Bonesaw is 188 with w brisk wind in the face grabs a 3 hybrid and STICKS IT 10 feet for eagle. AG comes up short right but in fine shape. Opie tugs his approach in the water, drops, and salvages bogey. Bonesaw takes aim, lines up his putt, and comes up a bud light cap short of a massive eagle. He is disappointed but grabs his birdie. AG goes up and down for a birdie to keep the barking Bonesaw at bay in the least heralded birdie ever. Hardly anyone even noticed.

At the turn here’s how we stand in relation to quota:

Opie +2 

AG – (-1)

Bonesaw (-5)

It has become a three man race as Justin contemplates a W/D for the final round. 8 points over 9 holes is tough to get to any day, let alone catch up to someone fending you off in the form of Opie. And AG with a 4 point cushion is a near impossibility. But undeterred, the bonesaw brushes his hair behind his ear, hardens his gaze, and embraces the challenge.

10. All 4 players find the fairway with flip wedges in hand. JC goes first and sneaks on the green, Bonesaw gets himself 10 feet uphill for birdie, Opie leaves himself 6 for birdie, and AG has an out of character chunk!! What?? Bonesaw barely misses but taps in for par, JC gets his par after blasting it through the cup, and AG goes up and down for a par (of course). Opie steps up to his point, lines up the shot, and drains it!… The bonesaws countenance has fallen. The tough task has become tougher, but he is undeterred. This is his cross to bear.

Opie (+6)

AG (+1)

Bonesaw (-3)

11. Another excellent opportunity to make up ground on the leaders. Bonesaw steps up to the tee and… tugs it OB?!?!? WHA??? Not a Bonesaw move, but fatigue played a role. He opened for the first time on the day but used this as an opportunity to regain clarity and focus rather than an excuse to give in. Good on him. Opie pulled his and had to retee, Crist also tugged but a tree saved him, and AG was in position A on this short par 5. AG hits his second shot pin high but left of the himalaya hills for a tricky chip. He proceeds to get it 5 feet to the pin and proclaim “that’s just so good” to the rest of the group to remind us how good that shot was. He misses the putt but gets points. JC bogeys and the rest open.

Opie (+6)

AG(+2)

Bonesaw (-3)

12. AG goes first to set the tone and and gets about 12 feet short for birdie. Bonesaw is 14 feet uphill, JC pin high with 6 feet for birdie, and Opie blasted his 9 iron just off the back of the green after being advised PW is the club. It was indeed the club. After Opie takes his time to address his ball Bonesaw steps in and says “Take your time lining up, I’ll just go” as a sign of sportsmanship so his playing partner wouldn’t feel rushed. Opie disagrees with this assessment and asks the Bonesaw why he’s being a dick? He refutes the accusation an drains the birdie. Ball don’t lie, Bonesaw was being nice. JC goes to boomtown and gets his birdie as well, AG get s par pars and Opie gets his bogey.

Opie (+7)

AG (+4)

Bonesaw (+1)

13. Bonesaw bunts a 3 hybrid on a short par 4 leaving 168 out, JC tugs left OB and walks the length of the hole as he chunks his way to the green. AG is 60 yards from the pin off the tee, and Opie about 90. Bonesaw hits a brilliant 7 iron that just trickles right of the green in a tricky lie. Opie nearly decapitates Bonesaw who is completely zoned out and not paying attention on his way to the bunker, and AG comes up just short of the slope going up hill to the pin, making it a difficult birdie putt. Bonesaw once again goes up and down, AG two putts, and Opie hits a great bunker shot and lag putt to get his point. 

Opie (+8)
AG (+6)

Bonesaw (+3)

14. Tick. Tock. Time is running out for the Bonesaw in his (other) tournament named after him, and his opponents are not giving in. All 3 competitors find terrific positions off the tee and all have a chance to go for the green in two. Bonesaw chunks one right but remarkably stays in bound, but is blocked out by the tree. He’s forced to hit a punch under branches and gets caught up just short on the up slope. Opie pulls his OB and is forced to take a drop and opens the hole. AG gets it just short of the green and converts his birdie!

Opie (+8)

AG (+10)

Bonesaw (+4)

15. Opie is in the lead but slipping as we head into 15, a drivable par 4.Opie tugs OB again, AG nearly drives the green, and bonesaw is 40 yards out. Butt holes are tight. Wilson hits a solid chip to give himself 8 feet for birdie, and AG hits a horrific chip with 6 feet left for birdie. Wilson steps up, hits it perfectly on line, perfect pace, and… it stays out! It didn’t break at all! No!!! Taps in for par. AG misses his birdie but matches the Bonesaws bogey. Opie is unable to get a point as we turn to hole 16

AG (+12)

Opie (+8)

Bonesaw (+6)

16. Bonesaw pipes a drive down the middle and AG follows suit with a 3 hybrid that goes nearly as far. Both Opie and Justin go OB off the tee. The wind is howling as AG steps up and comes up 30 yards short of the green. Oh no! The door is open for the Bonesaw!! He lines up and ALSO comes up woefully short. Both are short in the thick of it. AG chips on and has 12 feet for par, and Bonesaw has 11. He watches AG’s putt leak left at the end and goes to school. He lines up and confident with his read strokes a smooth putt for par. Boom!!

AG (+13)

Opie (+8)

Bonesaw (+8)

17. Uh oh, Happy learned how to putt! On the back of an incredible up and down, one of many the Bonesaw had on the day, and sticks a PW to 13 feet for another look at birdie on the day. AG just needs to hit a dainty wedge himself and he walks away with his win. He lines up, takes aim, and CHUNKS IT INTO THE WATER!! After watching this JC follows suit in the water so AG wouldn’t feel so lonely. Holy cow… Here it is.. The bonesaw needs to make a putt on 17 to take the lead. He’s dreary, and tired, but still focused. He putts it… and pushes it like a little bitch. Tap in par to AG’s open, and he ain’t going away folks! Opie gets his par. Now we go to 18…

AG (+14)

Opie (+10)

Bonesaw (+10)

18. After the pressure has settled Bonesaw tees off. All eyes on him. Birdie all but guarantees a win. Par keeps him alive likely. He proceeds to yank a 3 wood off the tee nearly OB, while AG pipes it down the fairway alongside Opie. It was a valiant effort, but unfortunately it looks like his chances have extinguished. He ends up with an open on the hole, while AG taps in his bogey. Opie hilariously takes aim at the green on number 9 and hits a great shot. He then proceeds to drop a ball, re hit, and make a bogey* for a point. I put the * because I respect Opie and I refuse to treat him with kid gloves. He is a fantastic player and everyone knows if Redbird had done that the Bonesaw would not have allowed him to retee and would have laughed in his face if he asked for relief, and thus the same ruling is applied to Opie. Therefore the final scoreboard is

AG +14

Bonesaw +10

Opie +10

In quota event ties the tiebreaker is decided by who has the higher quota which in this case is the Bonesaw so he gets the silver medal. Special shoutout to Jordan Savinon for being the highest finisher by a non member.