In my first MA50 event, discovered there was an elite area player in that division and lost to him by 19 shots. Over the next half dozen years with one exception would lose by at least double digits in events which he played.
In 2022, he turned 60 and later that year won the US championship and for three years, didn't have to face him.
Since then, I got better and this weekend is the first chance in MA60 to show him. He struggled out of the gate hitting an early tree and three putting for a double bogey then got it back as I doinked a putt I should never miss.
Somehow the rest of that round, I was able to just miss trees, recover from the ones I hit, make a couple putts, and have a drive skip off the top of a boulder almost going in for an ace. When I was done, discovered that not only was I ahead of him by two shots but it was at least two shots better than all but one of the 55 MA3,50,60, or players on that layout and by rating the best lifetime round.
Next morning was the same score after the first 6 not getting a bogey but having a 25 foot birdie putt hit left side chain, hang on the rim, and fall the wrong way. My opponent didn't bogey the first and gained a shot on me in that stretch and tied on the 7th as my 25 foot birdie putt hit right chain but didn't fall. I was fortunate to stay in bounds off a tree and make a long approach for a birdie later and after nine, we were tied.
There was a dispute on where a drive of mine went off the fairway into water but stayed calm enough to salvage a bogey and after his drive 2 holes later, he was up 2 with 4 to go. My next drive was the worst one of the weekend and after approach to save bogey hit a tree, needed to make 15 foot uphill putt for double. As I walked away, I heard a clank and his 6 foot par putt fell short as he lost focus.
His next drive missed left early and I put my drive under the basket for a drop in birdie. His 15 foot par putt to stay down one clanked short and 1 shot with 2 to go. My next drive trying to get extra to get to the green went way right and my approach shot faded out 20 feet away. His 30 foot birdie hit top of basket but did not fall in and I drilled my par putt to be down one going into final hole.
Unlike 3 hours earlier when I hit first tree in practice, the shot had perfect location and angle to curve left into a head wind and was unfortunate to hit the last tree leaving me 30 feet away. His drive flattened out and went way right but he made a great shot through the trees to save par. The putt to tie was exactly as desired.
Playoff started on Dellwood #13, the hole I proudly played 20 minutes after being divorced, and my drive found a gap to 8 feet before his drive hit and early tree and I won my second B tier in 7 months after going 17 years without winning in over 50 tries. It was cool that people who I know congratulated me on the win.
In the past, the issue with the place to play my shot after OB would have pissed me off and potentially throw me off my game but realized the 25 foot uphill putt from a bad stance likely wouldn't go in, stayed calm, and showed no strong emotion until my tying birdie putt on the last hole. Though I played just as well in round two overall, when my bad drives happened caused me to be four shots worse than the previous day.
The rematch is in Rockford in a week.
