Today, at Wanaki the first hole is actually #10. The nines were flipped in the morning to allow the Greens crew to work on the Fairways on the front nine. Course conditions are dry and burnt in the rough, fairways a bit longer than normal (they had not mown the fairways much), and greens holding and quick; super quick downhill. Play will commence from the White tee markers.
Jaeger jumped out to an early 1-up lead after one; however Ferguson earned it back quickly on two. Jaegers tee shot on the third hole (which is #12 a par 3) sent his hybrid almost as far as the ball. No, this was not a club toss, but a malfunction shaft which allowed the head of the club to sail through the air for over a hundred yards. The incident did not bother Steve; however Bob was confused and lost the hole.
On the fifth hole (#14), Jaeger rolls ball into the hazard behind the trees (advantage Ferguson). Steve punched out and put his third shot on the front of the green. Ferguson, perhaps still thinking about the club head flying off, joined in the rolling one for fun time; then putting his third shot on the green. Remember “super quick downhill”, Bob was above the hole and rolled past about 4 feet and missed the comebacker allow Steve to make five to go 2-up. Shockingly, Steve was so excited his next tee shot went in the middle of the pond on the right; took a horrible drop in the burnt rough; chop, chop! Ferguson played hole like a pro making a par to win hole. Ferguson stumped as Jaeger pared the 3-par to jump 2-up.
Finishing up the first nine (which was the back nine at Wanaki), Jaeger shows off his pro-ness by making birdie to tie another solid par by Ferguson, who was getting one shot for the #2 handicap hole. Ferguson pars the last to bring the match back to Jaeger 1-up. This concluded the first nine holes in 1 hour 57 minutes.
On the tenth hole (now this is the front nine at Wanaki), Ferguson getting a shot makes par to beat Jaegers par; the match is All Square after 11 holes of play. A mini-marathon starts playing with #2 (eleventh hole in match) through #5 (fourteenth hole in match). After playing these 4 holes in just over 45 minutes, Jaeger, after hitting from two sand traps, emerges with a 1-up lead after Ferguson air-mails a shot long over the green into the junk.
Match moves to the par-5, playing the hole even up (no shots). Wait, look out, Duck! Jaegers tee ball goes 55 yards right OB and his driver (yet in one piece) hurling through the air for about 50 yards (advantage Ferguson, Jaeger lost it). A solid par putt by Ferguson squares up the match with two holes to-go, is there going to be over-time? Wait, Ferguson does not want overtime, so he dumps his second shot on the #8 into the water. Yes, I said water. There is now water in those two marsh lands surrounding the green, Jaeger goes to 1-up with one to go. However, Ferguson is getting a shot on the long 5-par finishing hole.
Ferguson tee ball gets hung up in the trees on the right making impossible to clear water on second. He plays smart and punches out down the fairway to get him a chance to fly the water on his third; oops he rolled a shot near the water; there goes the one shot advantage. But, wait Jaeger hit his third shot into the greenside bunker. Steve had played well from sand all day until “pressure”! Just barely limbs it out of the sand short of the green. While Ferguson is now back in the hole just over the green, remember “super quick downhill”, Bob forgot, zing! there goes the ball rolling, rolling, rolling almost 35 feet past the hole. Bob needs to make this putt to win the hole; a firm putt rolls past 5 feet just inside of Steve’s putt for Bogey. Jaeger, who was putting well all day, including a 360 degree lip out that rolled back at him, calmly rolled in about an 8 footer for bogey to close out the match in 4 hours 8 minutes; Jaeger 1-up.
Enjoyed marking and playing along in this close match; wishing others the best of luck with their matches.
Wow! Great commentary.
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