Detailed Description of the Match  Chan vs. Haug  November 14, 2008  7:20a tee time

Hole 1 -Both players congratulated each other on the first tee and it was determined that Mike would have honors to begin the match.  Mike’s drive went with a slight fade and ended up in the right rough, while Curtis’ drive found its way down the right side of the fairway leaving himself a perfect 145 yards to the hole.   Mike had to scramble with his difficult hillside lie and put his second shot into the right greenside bunker next to the lip.  Curtis executed a perfect approach shot leaving himself about 18 feet to the hole.  Haug, sensing that he was already behind in scoring on this hole, tried his hardest to put his sand shot close, realizing that he needed to hole it out to put any pressure on Curtis.  But in his attempt to execute the “perfect” sand shot, he shanked his shot and sprayed it 50 feet past the hole.  Curtis saw that the door was wide open and declared to Mike that “Christmas was showing up early.”  Mike struggled to get the ball to drop in the first hole and ended up with a double bogey and he conceded the par to Curtis.  Realizing that Curtis just took a 1 up lead without putting out hardly any effort,  Mike took a deep breath and told himself, that he better step it up or it would be a long day.

Hole 2 – Curtis put his drive on the fairway, but was in no position to get on in 2.  Mike was stronger  off the tee and hit a crushing drive down the middle of the fairway, leaving himself about 254 yards to the green.  Curtis had no choice but to lay up, while Mike saw an opening to become the aggressor and so he took out his 3 wood and perfectly executed a shot that left his ball only inches off the green leaving himself a 70 foot eagle putt.  Curtis sensed Mike’s determination to win this hole and realized that he needed to put his next shot very close to the hole, but his 3^rd shot came up short leaving himself a 45 foot birdie putt.  Mike sized up his lengthy putt and knew he had to guage his speed going up the hill.  Mike’s putt was on line, but quickly came up 18 feet short leaving a very testy birdie putt attempt.  Curtis now saw an opening, but saw his birdie putt fall off line as he misread the green and the putt went far right of the hole leaving a 8 foot down hill putt for par.  Mike took some notes off Curtis’ putt and saw how the speed of the greens went.  He lined up his birdie putt and successfully sank the 18 footer.  With a big smile he declared to Curtis..”We are now All Square !!!”

Hole 3 -  Mike now had successfully taken a hole and proceed to carry on with the next.  But the short par 3 (146 yards)  proved to be more challenging than expected.  Mike’s pitching wedge came out short and sunk into the right bunker.  Seeing that Mike came up short, Curtis clubbed up and put his tee short right on line but slightly off the green leaving himself a 15 foot downhill putt.  Mike scrambled out of the bunker and left his 2^nd shot 10 feet from hole, while Curtis missed his birdie attempt by inches for the tap in par.  Mike’s par saving putt drifted left off the hole giving Curtis again a 1 up lead going into the difficult handicap #1 hole.

Hole 4 -  Both players realized how challenging this next hole would be but knew the aggressive approach was the only way to score well.  Curtis’ drive went long, but faded into the fairway bunker.  Mike also hit a nice drive, but he also flew into the same bunker.   Both players needed to execute shots to perfection from their bunker positions.  Par would be an amazing score, put bogey would be welcomed.  Curtis had 104 yards to the hole while Mike had 94 yards.  Curtis went first and elected to place a knock down sand bunker shot that Chris Starkjohann taught him a few years ago.  “it’s a shot where you pick the ball clean but you take only a 50% swing…it’s very accurate when you execute it to perfection.  I didn’t want to go right (water hazard) and I needed to control my distance.  It was a shot I’ll never forget” as Curtis’ sand shot flew straight to the hole and settled 25 feet above the hole.  Mike seeing the nice shot that Curtis just made, realized that Curtis also “stroked” on this hole, so Mike knew he had to make his shot or expect Curtis to 3 putt.   He carefully balanced himself  in the bunker and then struck the ball perfectly which came down and settle just 10 feet from the cup!!!  Both players missed their birdie attempts and tapped in for par…but Curtis won the hole as he gladly took advantage of his stroke.  This gave Curtis a 2 Up lead.

Holes 5-8 .  Both players scrambled and played great shots, each exchanging wins on holes 5 and 6.  Mike’s OB drive on #6 gave Curtis another hole.  Then on #7, Curtis opened the door wide open for Mike to win when he missed fired and missed the green on his approach shot.  But Mike failed to execute his short game and his triple bogey on hole #7 gave Curtis another win to take a 3 up lead.  On the hole #8 (par 3) Curtis over shot the green leaving a lengthy down hill 45 foot putt.  Mike, feeling the pressure and sensing that he needed desperately to win a hole, pulled his tee shot left of the hole into the rough.  Mike’s chip shot rolled 10 feet past the hole, but, at least giving him a chance at par.  Curtis read the green correctly and gauged his speed to put his birdie attempt just 2 feet from the hole. Mike’s par attempt was denied and Curtis was able to par out giving him a commanding 4 up lead going into the ninth hole.

Hole 9 – Curtis felt good about his position.  Never did he imagine that he could get such a lead over Mike.  Mike had not been playing to his potential and was more like utilitizing his “B” and “C” game.  Curtis joking asked Mike…”Where is your “A” game today?”.  Mike had been asking himself that very question for the past 4 holes but knew that this next par 5 ninth hole was a place where he could take a foothold.  Curtis hit a nice 245 yard drive center right.  Mike got a hold of his drive and sailed a massive drive to 214 from the hole (281 yard drive up hill).   Curtis was 250 to the hole so he elected to lay up. The pin was in the back of the green position and Mike knew if he hit his 3 iron square he would have a chance.  Being up hill,  he hit for a 225 yard shot that perfectly flew towards the pin, leaving him a downhill 18 foot putt for eagle.  Curtis, feeling the pressure of having to make his 3^rd shot count (96 yards), misfired and overshot the entire green up into the hillside under a tree.  After witnessing Curtis’ shot, Mike took a sigh of relief realizing that as long has he didn’t mess up his putt he would surely win the hole.  Curtis duffed his chip shot and finally ended up on the green after 5 shots.  Mike was now in great shape to win the hole.   He carefully lined up his eagle attempt but miscalculated the slope as the ball rolled quickly past the hole leaving a tricky 5 footer.  But Mike didn’t feel the pressure as he easily sank the birdie putt to win the hole.  He was now only 3 down.

Hole 10 – Mike sensing relief that he can win holes rather than giving up holes set up to win another.  He pulled his drive to the left fairway, leaving himself a 96 yard shot to the green.  Curtis placed his drive down the center 108 yards to the hole, but his approach shot ended up 20 feet short of the green leaving himself a tricky chip shot.  Mike played his second shot to perfection which left him a 15 footer to make birdie.  Curtis’ chip shot came up short and Curtis was faced with a 12 footer for par.  Mike realized he was in great shape and almost sank his birdie putt.  Curtis conceded Mike’s par putt.  Curtis now felt the pressure of making something happen and sized up his putt.  As his putt closed in on the hole, it rolled right of the lip and missed.  Mike now cut into Curtis’ lead to make it 2 Up.

Hole 11 – Mike’s tee shot to the green when right and short next to the greenside bunker leaving him with a difficult chip shot.  Curtis placed his tee shot right on target, leaving his ball just 8 feet above the hole.  Seeing the nice shot that Curtis placed on the green, Mike dug deep to delicately place his chip shot to land just off the green so that that ball had a chance to roll down the slight incline and die towards the cup.  Mike hit a nice shot, but the slope carried the ball left of the cup leaving him a 8 foot up hill putt.  Curtis sized up his birdie putt but slightly over hit his mark and left his putt 15 inches beyond the cup.    Mike missed his par attempt and allowed Curtis to tap out for par and the win for the hole giving Curtis a 3 up lead again.

Hole 12 – Curtis felt good about winning the last hole, but quickly realized that Mike had enjoyed prosperity on both previous par 5’s.  Mike’s length off the tee gave him the advantage, and Curtis knew he had to dig deeper to at least halve this next hole.  Curtis placed his drive nicely down the middle of the fairway leaving him 258 to the green.  Mike, feeling good about his par 5 play, perfectly placed his long drive down the left side of the fairway to put him just 218 yards to the green (a 309 yard drive!). Mike again knew he just put the pressure back on Curtis….but he also recounted with a flashback that during his last match round with Darren Maglidt that Mike managed to score the ugly “8: on this hole.  He didn’t want it to happen again.  Curtis pushed his approach shot right to within 60 yards.  Mike had a slightly awkward hillside lie, so he took a deep breath and pulled out his 3 iron as he did on hole #9.  If he got there in 2, an easy birdie would put him in striking range for the championship.   Mike took a smooth swing at the ball, but the ball flew high and hooked left missing the green by 20 yards  Mike told himself….”here we go again”…. .   Curtis realized his opportunity was there to make a nice shot to get a chance at birdie.  He took out his 60 lob wedge but hit it fat and found himself still 50 yards from the hole.   In the mean time, Mike placed his 25 yard chip shot 6 feet from the hole leaving himself a great birdie opportunity.  Curtis now how to make his putt for par, but missed.  Mike missed his birdie putt but tapped out for par and the win for the hole .  Again he was only 2 Down.

Holes 13, 14 – Both players didn’t take advantages of opportunities to win hole 13, as each player scrambled to save their bogeys.  Mike 3 putted, and Curtis was only able to save bogey from an errant approach shot to the green.  Going into the 14^th hole, Mike felt the need to make something happen and so he made the decision to go for the green in one.  But his drive took him far right headed for the fairway on the next hole #15.  Curtis, sensing that Mike was not in a good position to make par, elected to play conservative and hit his 4 iron off the tee.  His tee shot went slightly right but ended up on the hillside just 118 yards from the hole.  In the meantime, Mike finally located his ball, which ended up on a very flat lie, on the best grass he could ask for – a perfect 120 yard shot, plus he even could see the pin, despite the fact he was on the wrong fairway.  Mike pulled out his pitching wedge and perfectly executed a great short iron shot to put his ball in birdie position 15 feet from the cup.  Curtis’ approach shot came out shot and ended up in the sand bunker.  With that, Curtis failed to get up and down and lost the hole to Mike as he tapped out for his par.  Mike now was only 1 Down !

Hole 15 -  Mike now had the feeling that Curtis was finally giving in to the pressure.  All day Mike was waiting for the opening to get wider so he could make the match even.  Curtis had been playing fairly steady golf without too many big blunders.  Mike on the other hand had made a few big mistakes in the beginning of the match, but now he had crawled his way back into the match and was just one hole away from an All Square match.  Curtis realized that Mike’s charge was on, and that a statement needed to be made as to who was in control of the match.  After watching Mike’s tee shot miss the green to the right (par 3 160 yards), Curtis saw his opening.  If he could put his shot on the green, Mike would then be scrambling .  Curtis took a smooth swing with his 7 iron and placed his shot pin high left of the hole leaving him a 18 foot down hill putt.  Mike saw Curtis’ great shot and knew his short game chipping would have to produce another great shot.  As he stood over his ball that was 35 feet from the cup, he tried to chip uphill, but the ball checked up short and now he faced a 8 footer to save par.  As Curtis approached his ball on the green he reviewed what he needed to do.  This putt was the exact putt that Bob  Newby (last year’s Champion) had 1 year ago that knocked Curtis out of the championship last year.  Curtis knew that this putt broke significantly more than what it appeared to be.  Curtis explained “I realized that there was a least a 4 foot break in the green from that position.”  So with that extra knowledge, Curtis picked his line, envisioned his speed and stroked the ball, which slowly swept and curved towards the cup and finally made one final revolution to find the bottom of the cup….BIRDIE !  Mike couldn’t believe what he  saw….a nice putt from Curtis which now put him back 2 Up with only 3 holes left.

Hole 16 -  Mike was now feeling the squeeze.  Not only did Curtis sink a needed birdie putt, win a crucial hole, but they both faced the 16^th (handicap #2) hole which was a “stroke hole” for Curtis.  Mike had to make birdie or else the match would be over.  Curtis went first and placed his 6 iron tee shot delicately left of the directional flag.  Mike got off a nice tee shot but it stayed right on the hill side leaving him a difficult 153 yards to the cup.  The wind was blowing fairly steady towards the cup.  Mike knew he had to put the ball on the green to give Curtis something to think about.  As soon the wind died a bit, Mike made his swing and right away he knew he hit a winner.  The ball perfectly came off the difficult lie, and like a laser guide “ball”, landed 12 feet below the cup.  What an amazing shot !  Curtis couldn’t believe his eyes, Mike just pulled off an incredible shot.  Curtis now had the task to just get onto the green.  But  then he realized that even if he 2 putted the green Mike could only tie the hole since Curtis had a stroke.  Curtis took aim and successfully put his ball on the safe side of the green leaving a lengthy 35 foot putt.  While sizing up their putts, Curtis only thought to get the ball close and tap out for par…this would keep the pressure on Mike.  Also Curtis knew if Mike missed his birdie putt, then there would be the opportunity to close the match for the win.  Curtis went first and got his putt rolling right at the hole, but it died and rolled left 15 inches left of the cup.  Mike went next and knew he had to sink the putt or else the Championship would go to Curtis.  He lined it all up and pick his line, but the putt stayed left and didn’t move into the hole.  Mike felt that match was closing in on him.  Curtis conceded Mikes tap in par, and proceeded to line up his Championship putt to win.  With only 15 inches to go, Curtis could only tell himself….”hit the back of the cup!!!” Mike realizing that this would be the final putt decided to employ some “golf gamesmanship” and began a few chants to distract Curtis.  Curtis only knew this was all in the spirit of fun and games, so he stepped back from his putt and asked politely to Mike if he had any other comments to make before the last putt was to be made.  After a few more chuckles, Curtis addressed his ball and to his surprise, missed the short putt, which allowed Mike to go on to the next hole still 2 Down with two holes to go.

Hole 17 – Missing the short putt gave a glimmer of hope to Mike.  There was speculation from the playing partners Bill Grow and Tony Spires who had been witnessing the entire match, that Curtis was purposeful in missing the putt to give Mike another hole to play.  Curtis adamantly explained that .”I really did try to make that putt…now Mike has another chance…that’s not what I want.” At the tee box, Mike knew that Curtis just made a crucial mistake and did not close the deal.  With renewed hopes in the Championship match, Mike unloaded a huge drive to get just 60 yards to the hole.  Curtis, still feeling a bit rattled that he had just missed an easy putt for the win, found himself nervously standing over his tee shot.  He saw Mike’s long drive, but he stuck to his conservative play and smoothly launched his 4 iron to get 146 yards from the hole.  Curtis’ next shot had to get close.  He knew if Mike won this next hole, there would be a big advantage in his favor on the next par 5 #18 hole.   So Curtis told himself, that this was the defining hole of the match.  Curtis calmly took his 8 iron and executed a perfect draw shot that found its way to just 4 feet to the hole !  Mike was now feeling more pressure, but he also put his shot right at the pin and gave himself a chance for birdie from 10 feet.  Mikes birdie putt missed.  Curtis, sensing that he needed to sink the putt, concentrated deeply to  read the right to left break in the green.  Again he could close out the match and this time he was successful as his ball found the bottom of the cup for birdie and the match !  Mike and Curtis both congratulated each other for their fun time during their match.  Curtis just became the new 2008 Seacoast Cup Champion.

In the post match interview Mike said..”Curtis really played well.  He did not make the big mistakes that I did early in the match. He really made it fun when he missed his short putt on 16.   I feel kind of felt bad that I taunted him, but I truly expected him to make that putt.  He just doesn’t miss…  I realized that he gave me a chance at that point, but he quickly recovered on the next hole when he sank that right to left putt for birdie.  Curtis made the crucial putts when he needed them, and he truly deserved to be the Champion today.  Today I struggled early on and didn’t have my “A” game.  But my hat goes off to Curtis as he got the early lead and held on to the end.  I’ll be looking forward to coming back again next year to get my chance at the Trophy.”

Curtis had some neat comments in regards to his championship win…”Mike was a great opponent to contend with for the Championship Match today.  He proved to be a very worthy opponent who never gave up.  I know early on he missed some big tee shots that gave me a few holes, but in the end, he put on quite an effort to close the gap. I had to dig deep today to suppress his charge. .  His demeanor on the course today,  insipte of his difficulties, shows what great Christian character Mike has.  It was a true joy to play with him today. 

When asked as to what gave him the edge to be the 2008 Seacoast Cup Champion Curtis  said.. “ I’ve worked hard on my game these past 5 months, as I had some difficulty early this year in getting off the tee.  After making some big changes in my equipment during the year, I was able to gain some confidence in my game and fortunately these past 4 months I have been able to make steady improvements and progress in my game.  I knew playing against Mike today would be a challenge.  He’s long off the tee and has a really good short game.  I’m very fortunate today that I somehow got the upper hand in the match and was able to hold on for the win. It was a really fun and tough match."

Congratulations to Curtis Chan for winning the 2008 Seacoast Cup Championship !