While we finish up some skiing articles from Argentina and beyond, let’s review the last week and cue up the next.
The “Summer of Hagestad” ended in the grandest fashion of all as the 32 year-old amateur followed up his victory at the USGA Mid-Am at Sleepy Hollow with a rain-shortened victory at the Crump Cup at Pine Valley. Organizers, fearful of the remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia, decided to forego the usual 16-player bracket to be competed over two days to an 18 round on Sunday. Hagestad and defending champion Stephen Behr, Jr. both shot 3-over par 73s and faced each other in a sudden death playoff, which Hagestad won on the first extra hole. Hagestad’s tournament began in dramatic fashion with a hole-in-one at Pine Valley’s famed par-3 10th hole, known as the Devil’s Asshole. He posted rounds of 71-72 and tied for third in 36-hole stroke-play qualifying. Even Beck, runner-up to Hagestad at the Mid-Am, earned medalist honors with a pair of 68s and a 36-hole total of 4-under 136.
Europe retained the Solheim Cup by a 14-14 score, after opening the event with a 4-0 loss to the Americans in the Friday foursomes. That’s a major comeback as teams at that level almost never loses entire sessions via skunking. (Although I once saw Maryland whoop Virginia 6-0 in opening session during a Potomac Cup match between the states best amateurs. They led 10.5 to 1.5 after the first day’s play and clinched the Cup before Sunday singles were contested.)
Ever since “:no more ties” has been screamed by the instant gratification crowd. You have to go out and win the Cup…as in wrest it from the other side. Those are the rules. How very “ugly American” of us to scream for a rule change that gives us an advantage we otherwise wouldn’t get. what would they say if the shoe was on the other foot?
That’s right. Nothing but crickets. So everybody check yourself.
Finally, Ryan Ballengee of Golf News Net is on the ground in Rome, and I’ll have my usual review of the Sunday singles. We’ll have an iHeartRadio update from Rome, and hopefully radio star Phil Pugliese and and his lovely wife Tricia can join us as well.
