The Match Play Championships - July 31st, Sunday

[discdoh]

Here is the preliminary info....

This is not a Ryder Cup Points Qualifier, but is a Ryder Cup Automatic Bid for the overall winner.

We are still waiting to hear from the park people if Sioux Passage will be available that day. If Sioux is not available, the tournament will take place at Creve Coeur (also with a temp 9 set up). We are also not sure if we should offer the play for free option to new club member signups. I don't think there will be an issue (payouts just get bumped down if a free player places in the money), but it still needs to be discussed.

I wanted to get the info posted ASAP since it is at the end of the month, so please check back before you make your final plans to make sure everything is still in order.

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[HITMAN]

Why did this get moved from Creve Coeur?

[discdoh]

I am not positive, but I think the idea was to not have Creve Coeur (and the Hart Bros.) host 2 tournaments in 2 weekends. Also, Sioux has an established temp layout that would be very easy to set up and use. I know Creve has had something in the past (near the pavilion), but Sioux's temp layout has been used multiple times and has been well received. Honestly, we just didn't want to break your guys backs too much. Sioux wasn't getting any tourney attention lately either...IDK, though...

[Zman]

I am a bit curious why there is an AM division and a Pro division that then play each other for the title. Maybe I am missing the intent and how it will work. It seems this would have the potential for the second best player to miss out on the finals. Imagine if Nikko and Feldburg both played for some crazy reason. Shouldnt they face each other in the final?

[discdoh]

The intent is to give all of the AMs a legitimate reason to show up to this event. If it was one big grouping, the AMs really wouldn't have a reason to show up, as they would probably figure that their chances of advancing through the bracket would be pretty minimal. The AMs will have their own bracket and payout. The PROs will have their own bracket and payout. The AM vs. PRO showdown will not have any financial implications whatsoever. The Ryder Cup Automatic Bid is the only thing on the line. The winner of the PRO bracket should be the HEAVY favorite going into the AM vs. PRO match, but you never know.

I don't know if this answered your questions, but hopefully it at least added a little more info to the mix.

[discdoh]

Don't forget that the RCF ACE POOL is at a legitimate $500! I'm not sure how the course is laid out right now, but there should at least be a few opportunities to pay the rent...

[discdoh]

I thought I would give an update on the results of the tournament.

It was an extremely hot day and, unfortuantely, the double elimination Match Play format forced some players to really work their butts off! Some players had to endure more than 8 matches...whew! Fortunately we had a temp 9 layout that was a lot shorter than the regular course and also offered a bit more shade. I tried to give everyone that signed up at least 1 (and in most cases 2) shots at the short course. The $500 ACE POOL was definitely there for the taking. After the first couple of rounds, I sent everyone out on the regular course for the next couple of matches. Once everyone had played all 27 holes, I gave the players the option of choosing whichever course they wanted to play. Obviously, most players decided to take it easy in the shade and go for the ACE on the temp course. Even with this being the case, the RCF ACE POOL was not hit. It will still stand at $500 for the next event!

In the Am Division, Jay Adams came out on top. He bested Curtis Simmons in the final Am bracket match to take the win. I believe he said that he had to play 9 x 9-Hole matches to make it happen. Congratulations on winning and, more importantly, surviving!

In the Pro Division, Corey Uhle pulled of the win coming back from the losers side of the bracket. This is no easy task! Bryan Johnson went undefeated to make his way to the finals and then had to wait about 3 hours before the final match with Corey began. I am sure that his muscles probably went a little cold, but I am not sure that he minded all that much in the near 100 degree heat. On the other hand, Corey had to battle his way through the field in a non-stop frenzy of disc golf. In his semi-final match with Jerry Barklage, he had some serious leg and abdomen cramps take him to the ground. It almost looked like he would have to DNF. Jerry was very gracious and allowed for him to get some massage therapy and ingest some nutrients so that the match could continue. By the time he made it to the finals, he had already played 8 x 9-Hole matches, and he would have to beat Bryan twice in order to take the title. Corey did just exactly that and came away as our 2011 Match Play Champion!

There was supposed to be one more match between the Am and Pro bracket winners to decide who would get the Ryder Cup Automatic Bid, but both parties decided that they had played enough DG for one day. Corey gets the Automatic Bid and Jay gets a huge favor returned sometime in the future from Corey. Good sportsmanship is always a good thing!

[Chris K]

That's more golf than the Iron Man. Was each round taking 9 holes to finish?