NBA legend and Hall of Fame coach of the Houston Rockets Rudy Tomjanovich once uttered the phrase, “Never underestimate the heart of a champion” after his 1994 Rockets had won the NBA Championship. So it was for KWGA legend Wayne “Grampy” Burke Saturday morning at the KWGA’s crowning tournament, the Tour Championship. Trailing bulldog and underdog Kevin “Mr. Wildcat” Poirier by a whopping 10 strokes after 7 holes of play, Grampy found the fountain of youth once more…and a whole lot of Tomjanovich, in scaling an insurmountable mountain to win the 2015 FEDEX Cup in a sudden death playoff. The sheer depravity of his assault in catching Mr. Wildcat was like watching the National Geographic channel on steroids. “He was a boa constrictor slowly taking the air out of a gazelle.” said a startled Commissioner Ford. “Watching something like that is part fascination, part sickness and definitely entertaining. He just wouldn’t let go of his dream. People could learn a lot from him.”
Saturday’s conditions could not have been worse. A cool, whipping wind with a spit of mist followed the combatants throughout the day but that did not stop fireworks from striking early. The duo both made birdies at #3 with Mr. Wildcat following Burke into the hole to take a 5 shot lead to the 4th tee. Grampy then fell 6 shots down when Mr. Wildcat was able to make par at the Par 3 5th. The avalanche of strokes lost seemed never-ending when Mr. Wildcat smothered the hole with a miraculous bunker shot on the 6th that the gallery is still wondering how it stayed out. “That was a big moment for me. I think Grampy knew I had come with my A-Game when I hit that shot.” said a sullen Poirier. “Maybe if that goes in, I slam the door emotionally on him.” Grampy’s double bogey at #7 stretched the lead to 10 strokes and a furious Burkie disgustedly rifled his ball into the pond skirting that deadly green. That seemed to set a fire under the Windsor Spitfire…and that’s when the drama began.
Grampy’s unlucky Pro V was given to the Golf Gods after yet another bogey on the 7th hole.
As the rain intensified and the wind chill plummeted, nobody could have foreseen anyone playing the last 11 holes at 1 over par, but that’s just what Grampy did. Pars at #8, #9, #10, #11 and #12 foreshadowed a 5 foot birdie put on #13 that patiently dropped into the hole to cut Mr. Wildcat’s lead to just 3 strokes, and the two men headed into the Valley with a change in momentum. When Poirier was unable to drain a 15 footer for par on #14 his lead had dwindled to 2. That’s when the “Burkie Universe” started to take over. A super-thinned 5 iron on #15 trundled safely to the back fringe when it looked like there might be an opening for Poirier to take back a shot. “Thin to win…I have heard that almost as much as ‘They all even’ out.” said a mystified Commissioner. “The hole was playing very difficult. Into the wind, rain really at its peak. He hit the center of the club face and that’s what you have to do in those kinds of conditions I guess.” Burkie’s birdie putt nestled to tap in range and Poirier was left with a 25 footer for par that wouldn’t find the bottom. The lead was now just one.
The 16th hole is already hard enough but Poirier thought he would make it a dangerous one as well. After a wayward drive that found the woods between #16 and #17, the gallery gasped watching as his cleats let go beneath, sending the Kentville baller airborn as he attempted to repel down the hill. The fall left him shaken and looking more like a defensive lineman after 4 quarters in the rain at Lambeau Field. The fall also seemed to serve as a wake-up call as his 3rd shot from 165 yards into the wind from 17 fairway found the 16th green putting him back in the hole. “It really was his finest moment on the Back 9.” said Commissioner Ford. “I looked over and saw his feet parallel to the ground, thinking, he just broke his back, I know it. But he calmly got up and hit a shotgun blast into the wind and rain. That was a thing of beauty.” The duo then faced approach shots into #17 and it was Burkie who managed to make par. The match was now all square standing on the 18th tee.
Mr. Wildcat’s fall on the 16th hole was both cruel and ironic on a day that saw him soil a brand new pair of slacks.
Both men struggled to find the final green through the driving rain and in the end it came down to Poirier and 5 feet for bogey to send the match to sudden death. His putt rimmed the hole, and defying current science and course conditions, backed into the hole. A tantalizing shot that had the gallery on their knees. “I really couldn’t believe it went in. When a putt goes by the hole you just don’t expect it to fall back in, but that’s what it did. You have to give credit to Poirier. He dug in and made a clutch putt after everything that had gone on.” said Commissioner Ford. “I was glad at that moment that he wasn’t MY opponent.
The sudden-death playoff was anti-climactic compared to their first 18 holes but not without a clutch shot. Grampy summoned his best pitch of the season from 20 yards in front of the 1st green to a foot. His par closed out the KWGA’s greatest comeback in league history…and possibly his finest hour as an amateur golfer. “I can’t say enough about Mr. Wildcat today.” said a relieved and happy Grampy. “He came at me and had me on the ropes early. I think you all can see that it’s just a matter of time for him. I just found a way to get myself back in the match and chip away. My goal was to make the Valley 5 mean something and that birdie on #13 was huge for my confidence. This is a great day for me. I was counted out midway through the season. Nobody expected me to be here so it makes this that much sweeter.”
Note: Burke and Poirier also shared the title of Tour Championship winner with Pete “Hyundai” Simmons giving Simmons a win and T1 in his two events on Tour this season. Great job Pete!
Grampy consoles Mr. Wildcat as the duo walk off the 1st green of their epic FEDEX Cup Sudden Death Final.
KWGA Intercontinental Champion
“The Donald” Bryson
The Donald became the first winner of the KWGA Intercontinental Championship with his 2 round total of 37 points. Mr. October-Fisher (29 pts) and Gary “Biggest” Johnson (27 points) rounded out a valiant effort for the Top 3.
With so much drama going on in the FEDEX Final it was easy to overlook another outstanding accomplishment on Saturday. Hortonville’s version of “The Donald” managed to hold off the rest of the pack and win the inaugural KWGA intercontinental Championship with his 7th place finish. Bryson’s win at The Deutsche Bank Championship meant somebody would have to come out of nowhere and win the Tour Championship, alas, Mr. October-Fisher or The Biggest Johnson could muster the score to do so. Congrats Donnie!
News, Notes & Quotes
-“It just seems like once September comes a general Ma-Laz comes over the group.” ~Grampy Burke
Don’t you mean “malaise“ Burkie? Burkie’s utterance was in reference to KWGA members dropping like flies once the calendar hits September 1st.
-Next week we have a window for a Ryder Cup team event. If you are interested sign-up on the website or email me. I think it would be a fun way to end our season. Last year was a lot of fun!
-Thank-you to Gerry for driving to KenWo early in the morning to drop off the trophy. That’s called being a team player! It was much appreciated!
-Thanks also to those who came out and played in less than ideal conditions. It made the days events both fun and gave the event importance to 2 guys who were grinding away for the right to be named 2015 KWGA Champion.
-I think it would be fun to have another KWGA Closing Banquet at West Side Charlie’s in November. Maybe we can throw around some dates that work? I am thinking a Friday or Saturday night so that people don’t have to worry about work in the morning.
-Lastly, I just want to thank everyone for coming out to play so often in 2015. I know for me personally it makes Saturday a lot more fun and an opportunity to play with all of you differing personalities. The social events take things to the next level and they are much appreciated. I think we have something good here and hopefully we will continue this tradition in 2016.
Hope to see you next Saturday October 10 for the 2015 KWGA Ryder Cup!
~The Commissioner
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