It’s been several months since I last posted.  I recently started a new job, and I remember now how work can get in the way of golf and life.  Still, I wanted to make sure that the saga of the Partner-Partner was shared, as it was quite a day.

We luckily made it to the finals, going extra holes against a 20 handicapper with a crazy hot putter.  The finals were against Zone and Coach, who are 2 great guys, and 2 pressure putters.  I figured we had nothing to lose, and somehow open up Par - Birdie - Par - Par, giving us a 3 hole lead.  At this point, I figured things were going well and I felt good about my game.  Probably too good.  The golf gods giveth, and they taketh away.  They took it away.  I got too confidant and lost the swing for a bit.  My partner, Tom, was able to hold them off for a bit.  Zone somehow bounced a ball out of the creek on 7 onto the green. C’mon!  The rest was kind of a blur until the back 9.  Match got tight, and we were only up one going into 16.  Tom hits long over the green, and I hit to maybe 15 feet.  At this point, the putter is questionable (too many pressure putts over the summer - had to switch to long putter afterwards).  I say to myself, screw it, just hit the putt, and somehow got a winder to go int for bird.  2 up.  We’d need it.  17 is a nightmare for both Tom and I normally, and death under pressure.  Both in the water, lose hole to a par.  Go to 18, 1 up.  Hit a drive, and approach on.  Just need to 2 putt from 20 feet to win.  Hit the first putt only 12 feet!  Hands are a bit shaky.  Hit the second, never a chance.  Ugh.  Extra holes again.

On the 19th hole, I have to punch out after my tee shot, and leave a 8 footer for par.  Tom is in the left, greenside bunker in 2, and Zone is just short of the green in 2.  Zone is a great chipper, but somehow ended up hitting it too hard and leaving a 5 foot downhill putt.  Tom is in the bunker he was in earlier in the day (he thinned it out of there twice).  He hits the best bunker shot under pressure since Tom Watson.  Leaves himself 2 feet uphill.  I miss (of course).  Zone misses.  Tom makes.  Championhip.