Hawk Soars to Victory
October 1 was a beautiful, sunny Sunday, with fall colours beginning to show on Malone’s rolling mountainsides. It was a picturesque setting for the final round of our 22nd Sandbagger.
The 2017 group, before teeing off for the final round.
Derrick Hockley, who was there for the inaugural Sandbagger in 1996 (also held in Malone), was the only remaining original (and recurring) participant never to have lofted our storied Pewter Mug. He was our version of Greg Norman – i.e., the best golfer never to have hoisted the trophy. Hawk’s patience finally paid off today as he held on against a surging Jeff Mains (2015 Champ) to win his first Sandbagger Cup.
Reigning Champ Ricky gives Hawk the coveted Pewter Mug while your humble Commish prepares to bestow him with a winners’ jersey
Hawk came into the Sunday with a 7 stroke lead. Only ‘Captain Saturday’ (as Bruce Murdock was dubbed on the first tee by Rick Cunliffe) has ever squandered a comparable lead. Thanks to a steady closing round in which the leader nailed his target, Hawk finally overcame his years of frustration, (almost) coasting to victory, and finally ending his long journey to the winner’s circle.
It is worth noting that 2015 Sandbagger Champion Jeff Mains mounted a spirited effort that, while ultimately falling short, betrayed that the ageing champ still has some fire in his belly. Jeff’s strong front nine moved him within spitting distance of Hawk’s lead, and he sustained the pace on holes 10 and 11 (a birdie, 2) before crash-landing to earth with a series of triple bogeys and a bonus quad. He finished tied for 2nd, 7 strokes back.
2nd place finisher Jeff Mains hits an approach shot on the final hole
Andrew Posthumus finished in a very respectable tie for 2nd, going 94-95 on the weekend. Andy’s prodigious drives were the stuff of legend (not just in his own mind) but his short game betrayed some rust, not to say insufficient skill.
Defending Champion Rick Cunliffe acquitted himself well, firmly cementing his status as a fellow who deserves a low-to-mid 90s target…notwithstanding his suggestions to the contrary. Ricky shot 95 on day 1, leaving him tied for fourth coming into Sunday; though he slipped to a 98 in the final round, it was a truly remarkable feat considering his performance at Donovan’s on Saturday night. As virtually everyone can attest, Rick is the most improved golfer on the circuit. If he could just learn to putt, he’d be high 80s, low 90s golfer. Alas, those days working the jackhammer have taken their toll.
Your humble Commish had proposed a 93 target — knowing my game better than any of you — but had to settle for a 91. I fired an unimpressively steady 95-95 to finish 5th. I had plenty of decent shots and holes, but intermittent triple bogeys plagued me. And par 3s. I hate all par 3s.
Geoff Oliver had come into the weekend nursing a sore elbow. He had provoked much good-natured ribbing by proposing a target of 99, and finished 6th at +12, after closing with a 96. Somehow, Geoff remained convinced that his proposed 99 target was justified, even though my math finds that he would have finished in first, four strokes ahead of Hawk if we had let Geoff have his way. Nice try, Geoff. That elbow didn’t look too painful when you were launching those majestic 275 yard drives!
Perennial runner-up Bruce Murdock came into the Sunday with dreams of putting a fourth bridesmaid’s dress in his closet (he had all but given up on catching Hawk), but ran into a wee hiccup (or wast that a choke?) when he carded a 12 on a modestly difficult front nine par 4. Bruce went 94-104, further demonstrating that ‘Captain Saturday’ is an apropos moniker.
Two-time winner Greg Jarvis deployed a cunning(?) strategy. After an impressive 3 over 75 on Saturday that nonetheless left him a dismaying 11 shots behind, he opted to use Sunday’s round to position himself for 2018 by bogeying as many holes as he could manage. His 78-88 left him in the 8th and final position, 16 over his target through two rounds and a full 24 behind the leader. Greg has already been in touch, pointing out that his target needs to be adjusted upward for next year’s competition. All in favour?
Name
Hockley
Mains
Posthumus
Cunliffe
Anderson
Oliver
Murdock
Jarvis
Target
90
114
95
93
91
87
92
75
Sat
82
113
94
95
95
90
94
78
+/-
-8
-1
-1
+2
+2
+3
+2
+3
Sun
90
111
95
98
95
96
104
88
Final
-8
-4
-1
+7
+8
+12
+14
+16
The 2017 group, in all their assembled royal blue glory, following the final round.