After 3 days of competition it all came down to the last putts...
Both races were still open. Who would be the Champ - who would be the onion?
Mulles was one up to Bob walking on the 18th tee box - had to at least tie the hole to avoid the tragedy of becoming last.
Robi was leading the field already for most of the day when Tim caught him back on 17 to take him head to head on 18 - in need to win for a possible playoff.
In the hunt Chris and Philippe played a strong final stretch to give themselves a glimpse of hope.
Reaching the green on 18 the unseen unfolded...
Bob put his 2nd ball on the dancefloor while Mulles needed 3 contacts to achieve the same result. 2 putts for Bob to hand over the heavy burden of losing to the Rookie from Reckange. But nerves let the farmer from northern Luxembourg down when a 3 putt sealed defeat. The rookie was relieved. The onion hattrick was completed.
Back on the tee box the 2nd flight got underway. After a full topped tee shot Tim somehow got himself a downhill 12 foot putt for par to beat Robbie and take him to a playoff. It wasn’t meant to be as it rolled 1 cm past - bogey was good enough for Robbie to square the match and benefit from his better performance during the first two days of competition.
The last flight approached. Chris was the one that could have twisted everything by winning the last hole. But the nerves got the better of him. His drive went right while PJ hammered it deep down the fairway. Blocked by trees and knowing that PJ put his second close to the pin, Chris went for the blind shot over trees, clipped it and ended short. This followed a thin pitch shot that unfolded tragedy. The pitch would have ended in the rough behind the green for an almost impossible up and down for bogey. Instead the ball collided with PJs and gave the rookie from Limpach a moment of hope. But things developed different than any of the athletes had foreseen. Chris’s two putt bogey got him squared with Robi and Tim. Out of nowhere PJs Par on the 18 tied 4 players at the top of the leaderboard for day 3 - PJ‘s hunt after a horrible start on day 1, his believe, braveness and dedication payed off. His risks found reward. Like Phoenix from the ashes the Swedish host claimed the trophy and couldn’t hold back tears of joy when the pressure came off.
After GinCup is Before GinCup. We will be back...
See you in Spain 🇪🇸 2020
But what happened to the rest of the squad? What happened to the heavy favorite Obi who was tied for the lead after day 2? Where was Doc Solms who put on such an amazing final stretch on day 2 to interfere with the scores of the leaders? What took the legend and 2018 GinCup Winner Pete into the onion flight for the last day?
These were tragedy’s that nobody talks about. Sad moments of deep disappointment that were painful and won’t be forgotten. These three knights of the toughest mental battle are in our hearts. Love is stronger than a four putt. You will always be the GinCup Team.
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