2008 SHELL'S WONDERFUL WORLD OF GOLF
JEFE VERSUS JIMBO
ARCADIA BLUFFS GOLF CLUB
17th Hole: Par 3, 167 yards
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The 17th is the other strong one-shotter on the back, and with it's wild green and no man's land slope if you miss right, the match could swing dramatically. Jefe needed desperately to hit this green and hope for Jimbo to miss the green right.
But Jimbo was having none of that. He calmly hit his hybrid (again!) to the middle of the green, the perfect shot for the situation. All the pressure was now squarely on Jefe's shoulders. He had to hit this green, and he had to hit this close.
So, what did Jefe do? He flared out another shot to the right, in the exact spot you don't want to be on this hole. The huge slope repels balls, and Jefe was at good 10-12 feet below the putting surface. Jimbo had to be jotting down thoughts for his acceptance speech. Bernie was ready to pop the cork on the champagne.
Maybe I lied. Maybe this match didn't make it to the end. Maybe I just suckered you into watching all these videos and reading all the hole-by-holes. Sucker! A typical two-putt par by Jimbo and a chip-chip-putt by Jefe and Jimbo would have a three stroke lead with one left. This match is ov-a.
Or is it?
Remember when I said you can never count Jefe out? And remember how I said that no lead is safe when these two guys play? By all accounts, Jefe has played a pretty horrible round up to this point, yet somehow he's managed to keep it close. And while things looked bleak, I knew there was still some fight left in that old dog.
He was faced with a near impossible chip from the side of the slope, but had a little backstop behind the green. For once, he decided to try hitting his good chip shop the first time, plopping it right on the front edge of the green and running it about 5 feet past the hole. From that position, it was the best you could hope for. Still, a par was no bargain, and the guy with the two stroke lead was staring at a birdie putt.
Jimbo had to putt over a ridge and around a delicate left-to-right slope, but after seeing his lag putt on the last, I fully expected him to cozy one up to tap-in range. A two-putt here would've pretty much wrapped it up. But instead, Jimbo misplayed the break and the speed, blasting an awful putt that was never high enough and ended up 8 feet past. His next putt was also extra aggressive, just missing on the low side. His ball kept trickling down the slope to knee knocker range.
Jefe's 2-3 chili-dips in the round look even worse on camera than they did in real life. But there can be nothing worse than capturing a 4-jack on film. I was praying for Jimbo not to 4-putt. I know Jefe wanted to win this match, but I'm sure he didn't want to win on a Jimbo 4-putt. That would've made for a very long and very quiet ride home. Thankfully, Jimbo willed the ball into the hole, with a putt that looked like it was wide right but dove in. Had he missed, I'm sure he would've destroyed the camera with the midget wooden flagstick. A disappointing bogey 4, but a huge collective sigh of relief that it wasn't a 5.
Now, Jefe faced his five footer for an amazing up and down. There was no doubt that Jefe would make this putt. That's just what he does. And that's just what he did. What a man. What a par. 'Within one with one to play!'
Jefe: Jimbo went first and hit a shot that I thought would probably close out the match. Trying to get it back to the hole as soon as it got in the air I knew I should have hit one more. My five iron caught the slope short and right and I was way down the hill. I knew I had to give myself a chance at par if I was going to have any shot. I had a very difficult time finding the line on my chip as I was way below the green surface and was completely blind. I had to go up the hole three times I think before I could figure out the direction. I had a decent lie and was able to hit the ball high and land it just where I thought I needed to, and the ball funneled off a slight backstop to finish 3 feet, one of the better chips I've ever hit and at a great time. I was surprised to see Jimbo's first putt go so far past, I didn't realize he had to come over a mound. He made a tough third putt for his bogey, and I had a really difficult downhill, left to right breaker for par that was a must make and I was able to firm it in the hole. Only one down and with some momentum I knew anything could happen on 18.
Jimbo: I had good feelings standing on this hole, since the last time I played it in 2005, I lasered a 4 iron to 8 feet and made birdie. That was a different year and I am a different player. I hit a really good hybrid (surprise!) up the hill, into the wind and to a very narrow and dangerous green. I was well below the hole but very happy to be on the green. I watched as Jefe lost his iron to the right of the green. It appread as if the match was all but over. I should know better when it comes to these Tang vs. Tang Cage Golf Matches.. Jefe decides to be Jefe and pulls off a remarkable up and down for par. In all honesty, I wasn't that surprised as I've seen these type of antics before. My real problem was a large hump directly in my line for my first putt. I miscalculated the line badly and the ball shot off right violently and ended up something like 7 feet above the hole. The second putt was REALLY fast and I missed that one, leaving me about 5 feet to avoid a 4 putt! I shook that one in. Actually, I didn't feel like I was choking, but rather the first putt was really, really difficult. Several practice attempts on the lag putt after I had holed out produced only worse results. No matter, I still owned a one stroke lead.
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After 17 Holes: Jimbo +8; Jefe +9
