14th Hole at Cobbs Creek GC

"Atlantic Publinks Challenge Matches"


PPGA Team Members (from left to right), Michael Brown, Brian Degnan, Dave Fardon, Jim Gillespie, Jim Prendergast, Ken Mangin, Sean Clifford, David Shields, Chris Fieger, Sr., Michael Carr, David Kimbley, Chris Thude, Steve Owens, Jr., Andrew Jaskel, Scott McNeil, Travis Gahman

 

 

The second Atlantic Publinks Challenge matches did not match the putt clinching drama of 2011 but provided drama of a different kind. Just like the prior year, the visiting team jumped out to an 5.5-2.5 advantage after the morning foursomes matches. The end result would be different this year as the visitors would be unable to protect their three point lead and take the cup on the two hour trek back home.

The Baltimore team came ready to play and jumped out early taking the first two morning foursomes matches and five of the eight with one halve. The highlight of the morning matches for the Baltimore team was Serge Hogg and John Howson coming back from a 3-down deficit with four to play to beat 2012 PPGA Player of the Year, Steve Owens Jr, and 2011 PPGA Player of the Year, Scott McNeil. Hogg and Howson, posted birdies on fifteen, sixteen and seventeen to square the match before winning the last with a par while Owens and McNeil missed the green right and failed to convert their par attempt.

As afternoon four-ball got underway, the Baltimore team quickly pushed the advantage to 6.5-2.5 as Dale Williams and Greg Ruark coasted to a 5&3 victory over Jim Prendergast and Brian Degnan. The team of Williams and Ruark was the only Baltimore team to post a 2-0 record. The PPGA would rally to claim the next four matches and tie the score at 6.5 with three matches remaining on the course. All signs pointed to a similar finish to that of last year's contest at Pine Ridge GC in Lutherville, MD.

The first PPGA team with a chance to give the eventual winners their first lead of the day was Chris Fieger, Sr. and Dave Fardon. Fieger and Fardon held a 1-up lead before surrendering that advantage after a birdie by the Baltimore team of Doug McIlvain and Blair Laubach at the sixteenth. The two teams would exchange birdies on the seventeenth before heading up the eighteenth all square. Fieger and Fardon had the decided advantage on the eighteenth as Fieger approach came to rest ten feet from the hole and Fardon's, six, to the back right hole location. After pars by McIlvain and Laubach, Fieger had the first chance to claim another point for the PPGA squad. Halfway to the hole, the putt looked as though it would find the hole but just missed on the high side. Fardon would suffer the same fate as his putt narrowly missed and the match would be halved and the score advanced to 7-7 with two matches left..

With the second to last match also all square coming up the home hole, it would be the Baltimore team with the decided advantage. After Chris Thude and Steve Owens, Jr., both found the green but with lengthy birdie putts, Serge Hogg stuffed his approach to five feet. Both Owens and Thude would race their birdie chances by the hole opening the door for Hogg to clinch at least a tie for the visiting squad. Like Fieger's putt from a similar line in the group before, Hogg's putt looked destined to find the bottom of the hole but caught the right edge of the cup and lipped out. Thude would then convert the tricky downhiller to halve the hole and the match.

The outcome would rest squarely on the last match, but this year's finish would not provide the same thrilling ending as 2011. Moments after the second to last match finished on the eighteenth hole, the competitors in the last match were shaking hands as Mike Brown and Scott McNeil provided the last point necessary for the PPGA to claim victory in 2012 when Brown birdied the seventeenth hole to cap a 2&1 PPGA victory. The PPGA again captured the Atlantic Publinks Challenge by the slimmest of margins and same score as 2011, 8.5-7.5.

Jim Gillespie and Sean Clifford both had perfect 2-0 records for the victorious PPGA team.

Final Results

PPGA 8.5 DEF. Baltimore 7.5

Alternate-Shot

Dale Williams-Greg Ruark, BMGC def. Jim Prendergast-Ken Mangin, PPGA, 1-up
Robert Lidstrom-Pete Betzhold, BMGC def. Brian Degnan-Dave Kimbley, PPGA, 2&1
Dave Shields-Mike Carr, PPGA halved Tim Osgood-Doug McIlvain, BMGC
Dave Fardon-Jim Gillespie, PPGA def. Ryan Richardson-Jim Pappas, BMGC, 4&3
Ryan Richardson-Jim Pappas, BMGC def. Travis Gahman-Andrew Jaskel, PPGA, 4&3
Chris Thude-Sean Clifford, PPGA def. Brett Keller-Blair Laubach, BMGC, 1-up
Serge Hogg-John Howson, BMGC def. Steve Owens, Jr.-Scott McNeil, PPGA, 1-up
Brad Foxwell-Drew Forrester, BMGC def. Mike Brown-Chris Fieger, Sr., PPGA, 3&2

Better-Ball of Partners

Dale Williams-Greg Ruark, BMGC def. Brian Degnan-Jim Prendergast, PPGA, 5&3
Dave Shields-Dave Kimbley, PPGA def. Robert Lidstrom-Pete Betzhold, BMGC, 2&1
Mike Carr-Jim Gillespie, PPGA def. Ryan Richardson-Jim Pappas, BMGC, 4&2
Andrew Jaskel-Ken Mangin, PPGA def. Tim Osgood-Brett Keller, BMGC, 1-up
Travis Gahman-Sean Clifford, PPGA def. Jeff Ryne-Bob Lentz, BMGC, 4&3
Chris Fieger, Sr.-Dave Fardon, PPGA halved Blair Laubach-Doug McIlvain, BMGC
Steve Owens, Jr.-Chris Thude, PPGA halved Serge Hogg-John Howson, BMGC
Scott McNeil-Mike Brown, PPGA def. Brad Foxwell-Drew Forrester, BMGC, 2&1

 

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