Recap Week 16

The Judge Smails Cup had Ed Finn and Rick Walsh facing newcomer Bob Fitzgerald and 2nd year player Frank Stefanick. Walsh had championship experience, but that did not scare this duo. Stefanick was hot coming in, but on this day it was all about Fitzpatrick. Finn and Walsh had cruised into the finals playing their best golf to date. The match quickly went in favor of Stefanick and Fitzpatrick after a near eagle on 2 for Stefanick and a tap in birdie to go 2 up. Walsh and Finn get one back on 4 only to lose it on 5. Walsh gets it back to 1 after 6. Fitzpatrick pars the 7th net birdie it's back to 2. Walsh and Finn try to weather the storm, but a dagger by Fitzpatrick who sinks a birdie putt to go 3 up after 9. Finn needs something to get him going on the back 9 so a quick chug of Bud Light seemed to be the answer as he comes out smoking with a birdie on 10 and looking like Walsh and Finn would get another back on 12 with Finn in close for a birdie putt and Fitzpatrick in the trap. Fitzpatrick reaches into the goodie bag and blasts his sand trap shot out and it agonizingly trickles into the hole for an improbable birdie and now the pressure is on Finn to sink his putt and calmly does to keep he and Walsh within reach. Finn takes the 13th hole and its now down to 1. Finn is now 2 under par on the back and they step to the 14th tee. Finn and Stefanick are on but have a long putt, Fitzpatrick lands in the right trap with the ball up close to the lip. Magic strikes again as he somehow gets it close and a tap in par putting the pressure on Finn to 2 putt, he blows it by and lips the comebacker and its back to 2 down. The holes are running out, but they are now entering Amen's Corner which are arguably the toughest holes on the course. It's dormie with 2 to go. Finn pars the 17th to get it to 1. The adrenalin is pumping with Finn and Walsh both on in 2 and Stefanick and Fitzpatrick chipping up to try and save par. Stefanick chips up to 5 feet, Finn and Walsh are both in with par. Stefanick who up to this point had watched his partner carry him needed to redeem himself and with his heart pounding and depends firmly strapped around his waist, sinks the 5 foot par putt to finish off Finn who shot 35 on the back and Walsh to win the coveted Judge Smails Cup.



And speaking of match-play winners, hats off to our own Rich McKenna who recently won the Easton C.C. Match-Play Championship, in an epic final match where it took a sub-70 round to win on the final hole. (He used 14 clubs, so it was pretty easy.) Also, good luck to all SIGL/Easton C.C. members in this weekend's Club Championship.