2017-03-05_Sycamore Creek

A return to seasonably cool temps as preparation for the The Donkey Cup begins. Rick, Steve, Jon C., and Mike trek along the friendly confines of Sycamore Creek in the second RVA Cup round of the year. Who will separate themselves as clear front runners to take the 9th Masters title? The run-up to the first major is upon us!.

Starting on the par 4 10th hole, the opening drives were strong, foreshadowing a day of who would flinch first. Jon C. jumped out to the early lead with a par-bogey start, but as he warmed up, his shot started going wayward. He struggled with the hazards on 16 pushing him to 3rd after 9 holes. Mike struggled going out, bookended by back-to-back triple bogeys on 1 and 2, 8 and 9, putting him 3 back of 3rd place at the turn. After 9 holes, it appeared to be a competition between Rick and Steve, after Steve finding a birdie on the par 3 15th and Rick took a 1 shot lead at the turn, but appearances can be deceiving.

The opening hole of the back 9, #1, saw a continuation of the front 9 trends. Steve birdied the par 4 and Rick knocking in a par, knotting them up at the top. Jon C. took the dreaded snowman with make marking down a bogey. The formidable par 4 3rd (their 12th hole) proved to be the decisive hole again on this course. Steve had begun to find his drive, crushing one center cut on top of the hill, where Rick lost his feel, losing his tee shot in the woods to the left. Two holes later, on the tight, but short, par 5 5th, Rick pull-hooked another into the left hazard, coupled with a long and straight drive by Steve, create the separation that would not be closed. Mike found his rhythm on the inward 9 and closed with an impressive 42. Steve’s 40 on the back gave him the 8 shot victory over Mike, with Rick falling back to 3rd with a 51 following his opening 44. Jon was never able to recover and finished 13 shots off the winner and 3 behind 3rd.