The two-man playing partners of Team Palmetto came out hot on a blistering Georgia day at the Marshwood course on Thursday, winning four of their nine Modified Alternate Shot matches outright against rival Deer Creek, while halving three matches for an overall score of 5 ½ to 3 ½. The Marshwood and Oakridge teams split their matches, 5-5 for the day. As a result, Palmetto moves ahead in the BA Cup standings with a comfortable lead of 5 ½ points against Team Marshwood with 3 ½ points, putting both Oakridge and Deer Creek teams in a last place tie with 2 ½ points each.
Despite the heat, a number of contestants went toe-to-toe to complete their matches.
Palmetto Team Captain Scott Happ said he and partner Mike Barber’s match “went all the way to the 18th hole" for the win. And it was a nail-biter up to that point, apparently. They had to come from behind to tie on their 17th hole before they could “nail” it down against Deer Creek’s Mike Towson and Dave Ryan.
The “Gary twosome” (Hobbs and Polynard) of Team Oakridge powered to an early lead over Marshwood opponents Mike Morris and Phil Redmond, who battled back and were three match points down with four holes to play when Hobbs drained a 60-foot birdie putt on the par 3 fourth hole to close out their match.
This was the second BA Cup round played in June—an unusual scheduling necessity due to the upcoming month-long hiatus forced by three course closures in July. This leaves only two BA Cup matches left to go in competition (August and September) before the three-round playoffs in October.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT SCRAMBLES
Although regular LMGA Thursday play days are canceled through July, the summer twilight 9-hole Scrambles will continue uninterrupted each Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. Nightly cash prizes and complimentary beer & soft drinks are provided. All LMGA members are invited, along with non-LMGA Landings Club golf members on a one-time trial basis. Players must sign up through the club house on the day of play and a $10 (cash) entry fee is required.