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It was an overcast and foggy morning at historic Los
Serranos Country Club as the biggest field ever prepared to compete for the
greatest Championship in golf.
Los Serranos from the Championship Tees plays to around 6,800 yards. The
course has many elevation changes and numerous bunkers that come into play
off the tee and around the greens. The course is relatively wide open and
given the soft receptive nature of the greens, it was pretty clear that
someone would have to go low to wear this year's Green Jacket.
That someone appeared to by former Club Champion Brett Coordt. BC was
masterful with his trusty 3 wood off the tee and, relying on his circa 1974
blade irons, was just solid from tee to green all day. BC had his transistor
radio in his cart locked into his favorite Classic Rock Station. The Bachman
Turner Overdrive and Fleetwood Mac tunes appeared to keep the former
Champion loose and playing very much in the moment.
If there was any weakness at all in his otherwise stellar round, BC showed a
bit of shakiness with the putter (unfortunately, an omen for what was to
come). BC cruised into the clubhouse with net 65 (gross 91) and appeared to
be the odds on favorite to win his second claret jug.
The fog cleared early at Los Serranos and the course heated up to
traditional inland empire temperatures. Also heating up was a determined
Chris Frohoff. C. Fro benefited from a practice round earlier in the week
with Pops and was using his course knowledge to his advantage. C. Fro knew
that he had to play some of the best golf of his life to catch B.C. and he
did just that, posting another net 65 (gross 78).
For the second year in a row, a playoff would be needed to determine our
Club's Champion.
The playoff was held on a 19th hole at Los Serranos that is usually used as
a practice hole. It is a Par 3 the measures around 135 yards with a
bunker in the back right of the green. The decision was made that they would
play this hole in a sudden death format as many times as necessary and that
they would alternate giving a stroke to BC. They flipped a coin, BC
won, so he got the stroke for the first sudden death hole.
BC, with Billy O on his bag, hit a wonderful tee shot under immense
pressure. The ball landed in the back right fringe.
C. Fro, with Swatty on his bag, was next. The pressure must have got to C.
Fro since he yanked his ball well left of the green and down a hill.
BC now appeared to be a lock for the Championship. C. Fro however hit
a perfect pitch shot over the hill and onto the green about 10 feet below
the green.
Still, with his stroke all BC needs is a nice simple two-putt to win the
championship. BC's first putt is well short. And his second putt
misses and still has 18 inches left.
C. Fro hits his putt on line, but not hard enough and taps in for his 4.
So BC has 18 inches for his own 4 and for the victory. But his putter was
not his friend today. He missed the putt right and tapped in for a 5.
Back to the tee for the second playoff hole, but this time BC does not get a
stroke. BC hit another nice tee shot, but a bit too long and it lands
in the back right bunker. Now C. Fro can take charge and he answers the call
with a nice short that landed on the left fringe.
BC leaves one in the bunker, hits his second to around 15 feet. C. Fro using
his putter from the fringe gets it to around 6 feet. BC then hits another
poor putt and C. Fro sinks his for the Championship.
C. Fro takes the Green Jacket and the Claret Jug along with several hundred
dollars in prize money and a custom BGC Club Champion Golf bag.
Huge thanks to D. Miller and Jeff Dalis for organizing the tournament. As
always, they do an outstanding job. Also, Greg Snider and Lawyer's Title
were extremely generous in their sponsorship. Why would you use anyone other
than Lawyer's Title for all of your Title needs?
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