Match Report: Phil wins the Guards Cup (5-Day Singles)

Posted on behalf of Philip

I had a great match yesterday, the final of the Guards Cup against Rob Ketzscher, a very good golfer and all round good guy. I had beaten some very good guys on the way too, Simon Greenwood and Colin Betterball.

Rob and I played in the second round of the Byron earlier in the Summer and he beat me on the 18th so I sort of owed him one. However he is very good and extremely long, certainly the longest fader of the ball that I have played with at SN, hits it in the right place most of the time too.

Last minute trip to the Chiropractor as I had once again over done it at the weekend and back was killing, so straight from there to the practise ground where Rob as already hitting shots

Rob and I had both come down a shot since out last match so it was 9 and 17, 8 shots, so no shots until the 4th, tough against a guy who can almost drive 1, 2 and a few others. I kicked off with a par though and one up, lost 2 and then won 3 with a par. There were very few halves in our match, it was back and forth all the way, I was two up at one point early on and he was two up on the back 9.

Flash forward to the 18th and we are all square on the tee, his honour and he absolutely smashes one just past the bunker on the right, a mammoth shot, beautiful shape too, he couldn’t have had more than 120 in. I didn’t hit a great drive, down in the rough on the right hand side by the trees, he must have been at least 150 yards past me and in the middle of the fairway. I hit a really good second though that left me 100 to the pin, Rob put his second in the farthest green side bunker on the right. I hit a great third, right at the pin but it rolled down into the hollow, Rob thinned his bunker shot into the the bunker opposite, then came out next to me, so he’s had 4, I have had 3 with a shot, seemed like it was over, but it never is as you all know, we both putted up and it left me a 3 footer, two shots to win, so I took two, game over, mentally drained but ecstatic to beat a guy as good as him.

It was a pleasure to play against him, he is a real gentleman and his etiquette and knowledge on the course is second to none at SN. Sadly he switched his home club back to Woldingham yesterday but I am sure we will see him again and I will definitely keep in touch.

It was looking like it could have been my first year without a trophy but saved by the bell, oh and of course Caroline, we still have the mixed to play, looking forward to that Sean and Tracy!!!

Only the 7 day Summer pairs which has so far eluded me.