Today we'll start off with a recap of the 2013 affair, a 11-9 win for the Young Guns. There were only four tournament rounds instead of five, giving each player a chance to familiarize themselves with the courses prior to the event happening. The weather was sunny but sub-50 for most of the week, which meant people were freezing their balls off until the third bloody mary had a chance to coarse through their veins.
The Varsity came out of the gate strong. In the first match, Captain Joe Flannery and long-time member guest partner Jeremy Wells dismantled Matt Mattare and Tom Holden 5&3. The duo was a staggering -10 net through 12 holes, leaving little to no chance for whoever got in their way. The Hokies Ponch and Shaver rang the register for another point for The Varsity, but a chance for a commanding lead slipped away in the final two matches.
Charlie Murphy and Mike Christensen secured the first Young Guns point with a 3&2 victory over Matt Holden and Hobbie. Then as darkness fell, Pat Lyons poured in a huge putt on the 18th hole to salvage a half point for him and Captain Tim Flannery against Chilly and Sacks. The day one tally fell at 2.5 to 1.5 in favor of The Varsity.
The next morning was the Red-White-Blue session at Pine Needles and again The Varsity jumped up early. Ponch and Chilly handled Mattare and Lyons easily and the Shaver-Sacks combo scraped out a half point against The Young Guns' only winning pair on day one, Darkness and the Cincinnati Buzzkill. Another halve from the Chris Holden-Fodero vs Hobbie-Wells match meant that Joe Flannery and Matt Holden could put the Young Guns in a giant hole heading into the final two sessions. But with an assist from some irritable Flannery bowels, the younger set of cousins took down their elders in what proved to be a colossal swing point. Tom Holden and Tim Flannery prevailed in a beatdown 5&4.
In the afternoon is when the tide officially turned. After winning only two matches in the first two sessions, the Young Guns completed a clean sweep in the scramble-alternate shot. Flannery and Mattare ripped off a 5&4 win over Sacks and Ponch to start the avalanche. After falling behind big early, the Lyons-T. Holden and Buzzkill-C. Holden teams both stormed back to win while Fodero and Charlie Murphy polished off the session with a 2&1 victory over Chilly and Hobbie. Suddenly the shell-shocked and seething Varsity was staring at a 7.5 to 4.5 deficit heading into singles. The Young Guns would need only three points out of the eight matches to win the first Mid-Pines Cup.
A rally on the final day was not to be for Captain Joe's squad. While Wells, Shaver, Ponch, and Chilly all delivered victories, the Cincinnati Buzzkill, Tim Flannery, and 2013 MVP ensured it would be all for naught. The final score read 11-9 (and 1-0 in parking lot sprints) in favor of the Young Guns, securing The Cup, the money, and ultimate bragging rights for 365+ days.
Key Moment: The Young Guns sweep Scramble-Alternate Shot 4-0...it was the only session they won the entire Cup, but it was decisive to provide ample cushion heading into singles.
Match of the Week: The Cincinnati Buzzkill and Chris Holden's giant comeback from three down in the Scramble-Alternate Shot to knock off Matt Holden and Andy Shaver 2up...swinging that point from the Varsity to the Young Guns ultimately proved the difference between a tie and a win.
It was over when...Captain Tim Flannery delivered the Cup clinching point over Matt Holden on the 17th hole at Pine Needles. Sadly, his par saving up and down from 100 yards using only a putter on the final hole was not actually part of the match. If it would've been, that hands down would've been the shot of the tournament.
Young Guns MVP: Tom Holden (3-1...all four matches against Joe Flannery)
Varsity MVP: Ponch Frank (3-1)
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