Day 4-- What a
difference a day makes. No red numbers today. Two even par
rounds by Tommy Kim and Leland Lindsay were the best anyone
could generate. Winner Tadd Fujikawa was 10 strokes over his
day two score. David Ishii drained a long putt on 18 to take
second and from the club house it looked like that putt was in
the hole or a rather long chip back for par. Me? I actually
beat Regan Lee. Well on one hole anyway. I believe he was 3
under after 3 and two over after 7. He and I had similar
experiences on the par 3 # 6. We both missed on the right and
then couldn’t stop our chip from rolling off the green. Lucky
for me I was able to chip on and sink a putt that required me to
keep from grounding the club for fear of a wind generated
penalty. Sunday pins and Windward winds ruled the day.
Stephanie Kono moved up from t42 to t33 by virtue of a
remarkably consistent 76, 75, 76, 77. Great Job Stephanie!! She
ended the event ahead of 17 professionals who made the cut.
Playing in tough conditions from tips proved no problem. I now
have a 50th anniversary hat autographed by the first woman to
make the cut at the Open and I will guarantee you it will not
end up on e-bay.
As for the
back of the pack perspective my group ended up 91, 93, 94, 97. Event
Chair Mike Kawaharada and I shared the lead in the clubhouse. Until the
second group finished that is. My 91 beat 7 out of 18 players in the B
flight and 5 out of 22 players in A. The 91 was actually good enough to
tie the excellent Dr. Glen.
Bob Crowley
continued his string of miracle saves with a par on # 13. After hitting
the tree guarding the green and almost going out of bounds way down on
the right he hit’s a blind prayer onto the green and sinks his putt. It
must be the food at PF Changs or having his wife as a caddie. Not that
I am superstitious but next year I am going to try some of that awesome
Chinese the night before.
For those not
able to be there here are some of the holes you would have loved to have
played.
#1 Pin behind
the bunker on the left. Any putt going form right to left with a little
to much speed and whoosh, off the green and down the hill.
# 6 Just ask
Regan. Pin back left on the down slope exposed to the wind.
# 8 Back left
and again on a down slope. While playing #11 we saw the Diabolical
Jason directing the rolling of this green. Another quick green and
nasty placement. Great fun.
# 9 On the
down slope guarded by the bunker on the right. Starting to sound
familiar?
#10 I thought
I had that hole wired. It was on the upper shelf behind the bunker on
the left. I hit long middle leaving a long but manageable lag putt.
Just get it close and bingo a par or at worse a bogie. I got it close,
told myself just hit it firm. No scared’em. Well that was a good idea
if I could have made the putt. Didn’t realize how fast it was and ended
up with a longer putt for bogie Started my round with a 4 putt double.
Ouch.
#11 Just as I
suspected upper left pin guarded by the bunker and tee all the way back
so that it was over 200. Yes the pin was on a bit of an incline.
Doubled that hole for a solid 4 over start. Ouch #2.
# 12 Another
treat guarded by a bunker and on a down slope.
#15 Back
left. Best position? Just off green for an easy chip in. Just ask
Keone Gunderson who’s birdie was going to be a sure skin until he found
out that Fritz Bruggemeier was actually able to stick that pin and cover
him.
Speaking of
skins, I think that 3 or 4 were pars! Including #17 with its back left
pin.
# 16 was
nuts. Fast Freddie managed to figure out that the best approach was
actually over the bunker on the left. That seemed suicidal until you
think about it. Keeping the bunkers out of play would seem the logical
thing to do until you note that almost anything approaching the pin from
the right ends up off the green. Word has it that he stuck the pin
coming left to right and made his birdie.
Anyway,
another great Sunday on a course that Jason and his crew had in great
shape. Especially the greens. As is tradition he will take those who
put this together out on the course under replicated conditions. I
can’t wait to hear how they do!!