So so close...
On Tuesday myself and Tom Paired up for the PGA Captain and Pro Regional Pro-Am Qualifier and, similar to the Lombard Event recently, the winning pair would be heading to the Final which this year was in Morocco.
We had an early tee time of 8am and met at 7am for a few putts, chips and hit in the nett. Looking at the other regional results, the worst score that got through was -7, so we headed to the first tee knowing we needed to play well. Tom, playing off 6, received 5 shots and if he could use them to pick up some nett birdies I would need to pitch in with some birdies of my own.
We got off to a fast start with Tom making nett birdie at 3 and an impressive gross birdie on the 4th. We then got on the par train to the turn. I woke up on the back 9 and birdied 10, 12 and 13 to get our campaign back on track. Tom hit the par 5 14th in two with two very impressive shots and after I pitched up to 8 feet my tactics let us down slightly. My thought process was that, instead of me trying for the birdie, allow Tom to lag it up and give both of us a chance of birdie. Tom lagged up as planned but we both missed. In hindsight I should of gone for it and tried to hole it and even if I missed at least Tom would of known where he stood in terms of the eagle putt.
Chances at 15, 16, and 17 slipped by so we were 5 under on the last tee. I hit an 8 iron to 10 feet and made birdie for us to finish on 6 under par. We were leaders in the clubhouse, although early on, and we felt we would be one or two shy, but with the afternoon wind picking up we did have hope. We lead for a good while before -7 appeared, followed by two more of the same.
We would eventually finish alone in 4th, a good account of ourselves, but as Tom text me afterwards ‘bitterly disappointing’, so close yet so far. It could have been worse, only one pair went through, so to loose on countback would have been even more disappointing.
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