Tom Morris Cup....winning the first round

The "Tom Morris" tournament is an annual event which had been held at the RSGC for many many years. It is a knock-out partnership matchplay event.

Checking out the wikipedia, Tom Morris is the father of 'professional golf' and was responsible for the redevelopment of the St Andrew's Course. He died at the age of 87!

Pakdokter had played in this event for the past two years. In the first year, pakdokter partnered Hyder Ali and lost out in the third round to the pair of A Aziz Dat and Chua Seng Yong. Last year pakdokter partnered pakTgAzman and was demolished in the first round ( by the pair of Tg Muzaffar and Tg Farith who went on to win the Cup.)

This year pakdokter chose pakZahardin as pakdokter's partner. ( The talk was that pakdokter has divorced pakTgAzman.......)

Our team was drawn to play Aziz Dat and Chua Seng Yong in the first round. This pair was the runner-up two years ago when they beat pakdokter and Hyder Ali in the 3rd round.

Pakdokter played to the handicap of 24 and Zahardin was 20. Aziz played at 14 and Chua at 16. So both pakdokter and Zahardin had many strokes from them.

We started from Hole 10 of the Old Course. Pakdokter started well, managing to keep the game square in the first 2 holes taking advantage of the strokes over the handicap difference against Aziz. Chua took the 3rd and Aziz the 4th to go 2-up before Zahardin came in at the 5th to reduce the deficit to 1-up. We lost the 6th to Chua to go 2-down but pakdokter took the 7th to go back to 1-down. We lost the 8th but squared the 9th to finish the 1st Nine at 2-down.

In the 2nd Nine beginning at hole-1 of the Old Course, pakdokter managed to square the 1st and 2nd holes to keep it at 2-down. We gave away the 3rd hole to go 3-down and thought that we had chance to win the par-3 hole No.4 when pakdokter had a good chance to par and win as this was a stroke hole. But Chua charged down from about 12 feet and got a 'birdie' which put them at 4-up!

Not giving up yet, pakdokter took the next 2 holes by virtue of the stroke advantage and was 2-down with 3 more to go.

The next long par-3 was not a stroke hole. Pakdokter hit it short and had a deep bunker to go over to the raised green. Aziz did the same. Zahardin sent his ball passed the green by a foot or two while Chua was a little "nervy'' and topped his tee to just in front of the ladies tee. He put it on for 2 but for a difficult downhill putt from about 10 feet.. Pakdokter chipped up nicely and was about 15 feet away from the pin, also for a difficult downhill putt. Aziz chipped into the bunker and came out for 3-on. Zahardin played a running chip which came to about just 3 feet below the hole which should give him an easy par and a win. But pakdokter putted down nicely from about 15 feet away and got a par. Chua had a chance to square it but ''nerves" must have got to him and missed the difficult putt by a wee bit. We gave our opponents a 4 and brought the game to 1-down with 2 to go.

The next hole was not a stroke hole. Pakdokter hit a reasonably good drive, reached the green in 3 and 2-putted for 5. Chua and Aziz both hit great drives but also came in for 3 on. But they fumbled on the putt to give us a fighting chance at the last hole. Chua could have easily squared the hole which he missed from just about 2 or 3 feet!

We went to the last hole all-square. Pakdokter had a stroke advantage at the last hole. Pakdokter's drive was 'fair' but a little left into the fringe of the first cut. Zahardin hit a tree on the right and fell short of the fairway. He fumbled on the 2nd and 3rd and finally reached the green for 6-on. Aziz was probably also affected by 'nerves' as he pulled his drive which went in deeper to the left, short of pakdokter's ball. Chua looked determined to take the match, his drive was smack in the centre of the fairway, easily 30 yards ahead of pakdokter. Aziz had a difficult 2nd from the deep rough with a row of trees blocking his line to the green. He hit a tree and his ball fell back into the rough about 120 yards away from the green. Chua's 2nd shot left him with just about 20 yards to the top end pin. Pakdokter used the rescue club to send the second shot over 2 bunkers passed the 100 yards stump and had about 85 yards left to the pin. Aziz did well from the rough and played a low running shot which sent the ball to about 15 feet to the pin. Pakdokter used the new 50 degrees laser-grooved wedge and hit a nice high shot which would have run straight to the pin. It stopped short by about 16 or 17 feet. Chua lobbed his 3rd which unfortunately ran off to the right apron. It should have been an easy chip but the thick apron caught his club face and he chipped it short of the green by an inch! He putted the 4th but the fast downhill green sent his ball way past the pin. He was obviously charging to putt in for a 5 to put the pressure on pakdokter. So both Chua and Zahardin were out of the game.

Pakdokter had an easy uphill putt from about 16 yards. Unfortunately due to the slope pakdokter's top end of the putter hit the ground and pakdokter's ball, although was heading along the right line stopped short by about 5 feet! Aziz would have to putt in for a par from about 15 yards to ensure a winning chance. He putted somewhat aggresively, missed a wee bit and went passed the hole by another 4 feet. He had a downhill putt for a bogey.

Pakdokter collected pakdokter's nerves and putted in for a 5 and even if Aziz had come in for a 5 pakdokter would still have won on the stroke advantage. What a game.........!

Next round will be against regular winners Tg Muin Putra and strong-hitter Shazal Zain.