POSSESSION of the Fall Classic Cup proved to be
short-lived for the Western Ontario Golf Superintendents Association. After
finally winning the annual match play tournament in 2008 after a four-year
drought, the trophy has returned to the hands of the Western New York Golf
Superintendents Association following play Oct. 19 at the Harvest Hill Golf
Center in Orchard Park, N.Y.
The
ninth annual Ryder Cup-like match play tournament between the bordering
associations was narrowly won 21-19 by the U.S. side, giving the New Yorkers a
6-3 advantage in victories since the event began in 2001.
For
the first time since the inaugural tournament, team sizes were pared down to 20
golfers aside from the traditional 24. Although the Canadian contingent won
half of the 10 matches, its points total fell slightly short of the number
required to maintain possession of the cup for another year.
“We
lost!” WOGSA team captain John Taylor lamented. “Seriously, I really appreciate
how the guys step up and compete in this event. We’ll get them next year.”
Keeping
with tradition, each of the matches was worth four points. Paired in twosomes,
each side competed over the first six holes for one point in a scramble format,
a second point in a best ball format over the middle six holes, and one point
for each partner in singles play over the final six holes. Only one match
resulted in a complete shutout by one team over the other when WOGSA’s Trevor
Hunter of Ontario Seed Company and Craigowan Country Club (Woodstock)
superintendent Jerry Richard lost 4-0 in the last match.
Going
with a shotgun start for the first time, some of the traditional drama from the
finish was absent. The format, however, allowed all matches to finish
simultaneously with plenty of daylight to spare, unlike at the 2008 competition
at the Burlington (Ont.) Golf & Country Club in which the final groups
played the 18th hole in near darkness.
Both
teams swapped stories afterwards at the Buffalo Sports Garden where pizza and
wings were enjoyed by the competing golfers.
The
10th annual tournament will return to Canadian soil in 2010 at a
yet-to-be-determined venue.
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