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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Feb 19, 2021 7:26:21 GMT -5
The Round 2 leaderboard - and surprisingly our opening round leader, Mark Allison, appears to have dropped out of the tourney, although there is still plenty of time for him to take up where he left off. So, at the halfway stage, Ian McKinley is the new frontrunner, closely followed by Bob Fletcher, but with the weather forecast to remain very bad, if not become worse, anything could still happen. Terry Baldwin was unable to find his good opening round form and has dropped down to joint 17th place, while double event winner Les Souter showed some improvement in the second round, he is still well off the pace and appears to be now out of contention.
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Feb 21, 2021 6:44:37 GMT -5
The Round 3 leaderboard of our 1970 Texas Open - and Ian McKinley has extended his lead to three strokes, but his main rival is now PGA Tour professional Ron Cerrudo as Bob Fletcher's level par 70 today sees him drop down to third spot. Terry Baldwin's second 68 of the tourney enabled him to rise up to a tie for seventh place, but he is still nine shots off the pace. After a couple of less than pleasing early rounds this week Juan Aetee found some form to card a fine 67, putting him in joint 22nd spot and looking to continue that level of play into the final round. Les Souter's woes continued and a disappointing 75 was all he could muster, and he's probably already looking towards next week's event.
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Feb 22, 2021 7:25:57 GMT -5
The final leaderboard of the 1970 SAN ANTONIO TEXAS OPEN - and what a nail-biting finish that was!! Ian McKinley carded a 72 but couldn't quite make it over the finish line and was pipped at the post by RON CERRUDO, who took the Texas Open title by a single stroke. This is the first event of the season that has been won by a PGA Tour professional, and it is Ron's second career win, his first coming at the 1968 Cajun Classic Open. Bob Fletcher managed to tie for 8th place in spite of a horrendous final round 77, while Juan Aetee finished way back in joint 40th. After a couple of promising opening rounds Charlie Roberts struggled in the latter half of the tourney, eventually concluding the event in a tie for 65th place. Kudos to new addition to the tour Mark Lipping for finishing this tournament. He found the going extremely tough but saw it through to the end. Hopefully we will see Mark at Doral next week. The best rounds of the week, a couple of 65's, were recorded by Ron Cerrudo in Round 2 and by his long-time rival Dick Lotz in Round 3. Thanks to those who completed what was a very difficult event, let's hope it's a little easier in Florida next week...
Ron Cerrudo holes a birdie putt in the final round on his way to the Texas Open title...
Ron kisses his winner's cheque for $20,000...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Feb 25, 2021 7:53:35 GMT -5
Here is the current Round 1 leaderboard for event number 8 of the 1970 PGA Tour season - the DORAL-EASTERN OPEN hosted by the Blue Monster.
All but one of the 'guest' players have made a good start to the week, especially Terry Baldwin and Hans Kunok who lead the field after a couple of very good 65's. Three strokes back are Bob Fletcher and Mark Lipping, with Les Souter and Mark Allison a further shot back. Ian McKinley's solid 70 keeps him in touch with the leading group, but newcomer Michael Thorne struggled in what is his maiden tour round. Once he gets used to the settings I'm sure we'll see an improvement...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Feb 26, 2021 7:28:42 GMT -5
Looks like Round 2 posed a few problems for a few of the 'guest' players - but not Mark Allison who carded another 69 to become our joint leader at the halfway mark with PGA Tour professional Gibby Gilbert. Mark Lipping consolidated his standing with an even par 72 and is two strokes adrift of the leaders, while Ian McKinley stated he couldn't have played any better after walking off the 18th green with a 73 on his scorecard. Bob Fletcher fought a losing battle and ended up with a 76 to leave him six shots off the pace, and we won't dwell on Michael Thorne's round today, just to say that the conditions got the better of him. One or two scores still to come in but it promises to be a fascinating weekend... GIBBY GILBERT, WHO IS LOOKING FOR HIS FIRST EVER PGA TOUR VICTORY...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Feb 28, 2021 5:21:33 GMT -5
The current Round 3 leaderboard - and it looks like this week's extreme weather in Florida has frightened off a couple of players, but that hasn't detracted from the battle going on at the top of the leaderboard. Halfway joint leader Gibby Gilbert's dream of a first PGA Tour win were cruelly destroyed by his round of 76 today, which left the door open for the other joint leader, Mark Allison, to take full advantage by carding his best round so far, a very competent 66. Mark now leads by two strokes from his nearest challenger, new 'guest' player Mark Lipping, who matched that 66 to stay in the hunt.
Four shots off the lead is PGA Tour professional Mike Hill, and then another 'guest', Ian McKinley, finally warmed to the task when he also fired a very good 66 which leaves him with an outside chance of a first win this season, but having to make up a deficit of five shots to taste victory. Bob Fletcher stumbled in with a 73 while Michael Thorne continued his climb up the steep learning curve. The final round will be very interesting...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Mar 1, 2021 6:53:01 GMT -5
Well, what an exciting end to a tough week!! And we had the first tie of the season for first place!! And that meant a play-off! As in The Masters tournament at Augusta, it was decided to use hole scores from Hole 10 from the final day's play in a sudden death decider. A full report on the play-off is below, as well as the final leaderboard. It was a good week for the 'guest' players as all but one finished in the top 10. Mark Lipping managed to make up the two-stroke deficit that existed at the start of the round to tie Mark Allison for the top spot, while Ian McKinley's final round 65, the best score of the week, rewarded him with third place, just two shots adrift. Juan Aetee claimed fifth position in spite of a disappointing last day 73, while Bob Fletcher earned himself a seventh place finish with a 68, thereby ending the week the same way he'd started it. Newcomer Michael Thorne deserves credit for finishing the tourney and we hope to see him at Bay Hill next week. Now for the play-off... 1st Extra Hole (10th)For the purposes of this Mark Allison will be referred to as the 'Panda' and Mark Lipping the 'Estonian'. Both players found the fairway with drives in excess of 300 yards, and both also found the fairway with their second shots. The Panda played first and his 78-yard pitch looked destined to find the cup, but it agonisingly lipped out to leave a far from easy birdie putt. The Estonian's pitch was misjudged and it rolled off the green. His subsequent 12-yard chip left a stone-dead par putt, so now the Panda had a chance to seize the win, but he could also only manage a par. On to the next hole... 2nd Extra Hole (11th)Again the two drives found the short grass, but then both approach shots overshot the green - you could almost smell the adrenalin!! Both chipped on and sank their putts to halve another hole... 3rd Extra Hole (12th)The Estonian's drive on this par 5 was huge and, although the hole measured 600 yards or more, it was conceivable that he might be able to reach the green in two. Maybe that thought had entered the Panda's mind and maybe he tried to put a little more into his drive, but he only succeeded in steering it into a left fairway trap. His second wasn't much better, finding another bunker on the right of the fairway. The door was open and the Estonian did what needed to be done, sending his second shot soaring towards the green, watching it pitch short then roll up towards the pin to leave a 5-footer for eagle - and the title, if the Panda didn't hole out with his third from the bunker. Unfortunately he left his ball well short of the cup, and now faced a 32-footer for birdie. He stepped up, struck the ball firmly, and the crowd erupted as it disappeared into the cup for an unlikely, but vitally important, birdie. Now it was all down to the Estonian. Could he handle the pressure suddenly exerted by the Panda's monumental putt?! He examined the line closely, addressed the ball and swung his putter... was it going to reach?! YES, it trickled into the hole for a superb eagle and the Doral-Eastern Open title!! WELL DONE MARK LIPPING!!! And commiserations to Mark Allison, who is still waiting to grab his first trophy of the season...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Mar 1, 2021 7:12:08 GMT -5
Earnings Table after the DORAL-EASTERN OPEN - Les Souter still leads the field, but the chasing pack are getting closer. Can Les be overhauled in the last 2 events of this part of the season?!
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Mar 4, 2021 7:06:31 GMT -5
On to event number nine, the FLORIDA CITRUS OPEN INVITATIONAL from the Bay Hill Club.
The Round 1 leaderboard - and the legendary Arnold Palmer used his local knowledge of his home course to card a stunning 64. So far the best performance from a 'guest' player came from Bob Fletcher whose 68 sees him in a tie for 11th, but only one shot further back lurks Ian McKinley. Three other 'guest' players had unsatisfactory starts - Terry Baldwin's 73 and Les Souter's 74 already means they have a lot of ground to make up to catch the frontrunners, but not as much as last week's tournament winner, Mark Lipping, who seemed to still be suffering from a celebration party hangover as he stumbled around with a poor 77.
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Mar 5, 2021 7:02:52 GMT -5
Round 2 - First round leader Arnold Palmer was unable to repeat the magic of his first day 64, and his 72 today saw him fall two strokes off the lead and in a tie for fifth with 'guest' Bob Fletcher who carded another 68. Another 'guest', Ian McKinley, recorded the best round of the day, a fine 66, to leap into a tie for third spot, a stroke ahead of Palmer and Fletcher, and only one shot behind the new joint leaders, PGA Tour professionals Bob Lunn and Australian Bruce Devlin. Our other 'guest' players again found it hard going out there, Terry Baldwin repeating his first round 73, while Les Souter improved by shooting a 71, as did Mark Lipping when he came in with a 74 under his belt. It could be another close one...
OUR NEW JOINT LEADERS AT HALFWAY - BRUCE DEVLIN AND BOB LUNN
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Mar 7, 2021 16:50:43 GMT -5
Round 3 - Arnold Palmer rediscovered his opening round form to shoot another stunning 64 and regain the lead. Halfway mark joint leaders Bruce Devlin and Bob Lunn are in hot pursuit and they are followed, in turn, by 'guest' player Bob Fletcher who carded his third 68 in as many rounds to stand four strokes off the lead with one round to play. Another 'guest', Ian McKinley, only managed a 70 which allowed Bob to leapfrog him, but he is still 'in the mix'.
Terry Baldwin jumped up the leaderboard after finally finding some good form which helped him record a fine 67, while his old rival Les Souter struggled in with a 72, a score that leaves him three shots off last place. That unenviable position is still held by Mark Lipping, but he gave himself some hope of not finishing the event there by producing a round of 69 today. Anything could still happen in the final round...
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Mar 8, 2021 12:15:57 GMT -5
FINAL ROUND
Arnold Palmer couldn't hang on to his Round 3 lead, only recording a level par round to finish the week, which allowed BOB LUNN to creep into first place courtesy of a hard-fought 70. The best-placed 'guest' player was Juan Aetee who ended the tourney in a tie for fifth spot. Juan showed admirable consistency by shooting under par in all four rounds. Other 'guest' players had mixed fortunes - Bob Fletcher did well by finishing tied for ninth, one stroke behind Juan, while a further shot back were Hans Kunok and Ian McKinley, who were tied thirteenth. Further down the leaderboard were Terry Baldwin, tied 57th, Mark Lipping, tied 71st, and Les Souter in 83rd. Hans Kunok claimed the best round of the event, a stellar 62 in Round 2, and it's interesting that the most difficult round came on the final day when the wind was at it's lowest, but the greens were at their fastest and the pins at their most difficult.
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Mar 8, 2021 12:24:20 GMT -5
Even though he finished rock bottom in the last event and appears to be suffering a crisis in form, Les Souter remains at the top of the Earnings Table and on course to win the WINTER TROPHY. There are several players who could dislodge him from that top spot, but it looks like they would have to win the final event, the Monsanto Open, of the first quarter of the season.
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Mar 10, 2021 18:57:00 GMT -5
Event 10 - THE MONSANTO OPEN
Round 1 - the little known gem of St McArthur Country Club presented an interesting challenge on the opening day. Ian McKinley's fine 66 was good enough to give him a share of the lead, with Bob Fletcher and money-leader Les Souter just a single stroke back. Mark Lipping made a solid start with a 69, while Charlie Roberts was expected to score lower than his eventual even par 71. Carl Bishop and Terry Baldwin find themselves in the lower half of the leaderboard after a couple of opening 72's, but they have plenty of time to make up ground on the leading group.
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Post by PLAYTOURGOLF BOSS on Mar 12, 2021 6:50:07 GMT -5
Round 2 - PGA Tour pro Grier Jones took over at the top of the leaderboard due to his 67, the joint best round of this second day. Two shots behind and tied for second spot are 'guest' players Ian McKinley and Les Souter, the latter trying to grab a good placing this week which would enable him to stay top of the Earnings Table and win the inaugural Winter Trophy. Bob Fletcher lies only a further stroke back so remains in contention, and Mark Lipping carded another 69 to maintain his hopes of a second tour title. Charlie Roberts also hit a 69 but has work to do over the second half of the tourney to bridge the 6-shot deficit between him and the current pacesetter. Terry Baldwin's 70 today leaves him 8 shots off the lead so his chances of a first victory seem more slender than Charlie's, but there's still plenty of golf to be played...
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