MD Hudon Finds Redemption with Victory at the WGAT Players Championship

After MD’s disappointing 2nd place finish at the WGAT Masters reversed her fortune with a playoff victory over Bruce Browne. Flashing back two months ago MD held a two stroke lead going into the final hole only to record a nine to have the WGAT Masters slip out of her grasp giving Shauna Federico the victory.

 MD came into the WGAT Players Championship focused and captured the lead on the first hole and after day one she held a three stroke lead going into the final round. MD Shot net even par to Bruce Browne’s net +3. knowing no lead is safe, evident of Mark Wanke’s 7 stroke lead at the WGAT Open on day only to place 7th.

MD started strong on day two shooting net even par for the first three holes and increasing her lead to 6 after Browne recorded a net triple bogie on the third hole. Then the par three 4th named “eden” inspired and designed after the Eden at St Andrews proved to be a worthy challenge. Eden's first victim was Miami Florida’s Mike Aybar on day one when he recorded a 22. MD making sure to clear the force carry of water to the green hit a shot that cleared the green into a bunker, left with a difficult lie MD second shot rolled on to the downward sloping green to roll into the water. Since the hazard was lined with yellow stakes, she had to make her drop on the other side of the water near her original tee box. After successfully landing on the green, later she had admit that the was shock up which lead to her only three put of the tournament to record a 7 on the par 3. “ I thought I had just lost the tournament” Hudon said in the post event press conference, “it took me several holes to calm down and refocus”

 Even after her seven she left the 4th hole with a two stroke lead but that is all Bruce Brown needed to take advantage. Bruce went on to net birdie 7,8,9 and 10 to take the lead for the first time by three while Hudon held the lead for the first 24 holes of the tournament.

Hudon settled down after 6th hole to record 6 straight pars when she birdied 14 and 15 along with Browns bogie on 15, Hudon and Browne were now tied with three to go. Browne to charge and recorded a net eagle on 16 to take a two stroke lead and both Hudon and Brown bogied 17 giving Browne a two stroke cushion with one hole to go. Hudon played aggressive on the par 5 making the green in regulation. Smartly Browne laid up avoiding the hazard protecting the green, unfortunately he pushed his shot right landing in 6 inches of ruff forcing him to punch out to about 100 yards for his 4th. Browne landed is approach short to finally record a double bogie, Hudon had a long put to win but missed and two putted to force a playoff.

 Hudon again on the first playoff hole had a chance to win with a one put but it lipped out leaving Browne with a three footer to force 2nd hole playoff, but still having his arrent chip stuck in his mind he missed the putt giving MD the Championship.

 MD’s Victory and in the fashion she won overcoming a two stroke deficit with one hole to go gave her redemption for the Masters lost. The roles were reversed with the same out come, how Ironic said San Diego Tour Director Jeff Ault.

Bruce Gallo Comes Back From 8 Strokes Down To Win The WGAT Open in Sudden Death Playoff

The World golfers Amateur tour held its first Open in Plymouth,  Indiana at the Swan Lake Resort June 30th and July 1st. 10 States were represented by players from Illinois to Florida and NY to Arizona all playing to earn an exemption to the USA National Championship and National Order of Merit points to earn the 6th spot on Team USA.

Bruce Gallo
Illinois

The forecast for the event was expected to be hot with temperatures reaching well into the 100’s. Unexpectedly, Friday afternoon a Tornado whipped through dropping the temperature over 30 degrees within minutes, knocking over trees and taking out the power for over 8 hours. As a result, the groundskeepers scrambled to clear the fallen trees in time for the 10:00am start on Saturday.  The temperature was a comfortable 80 to 85 degrees with a pleasant breeze. 

With perfect conditions and only a slight wind on the Silver course, considered the easier of the two at Swan Lake Resort was there for the taking and the players did just that. David Small from St. Louis, MO  jumped out to a quick start recording a net birdie on the first 6 holes. Small finished the front nine at -6 with Jerry Edwards from Louisville,  KY two stokes back  at net  -4.  Mark Wanke from San Antonio, TX owned the back nine shooting 6 under par and storming past the field. After day one,  Wanke found himself with a 7 stroke lead at net -8 over Edwards who was at -1 and five players tied for third at net even par. Wanke noted “Once I figured out this northern grass and the bent greens all my putts just started falling for me, to win I will just need to keep doing what I am doing and hopefully it will all work out”. 

The final round was held on the Signature Black course at Swan Lake Resort. This course presents a completely different  challenge for players and in amateur golf anything can happen.  There was a sense that the WGAT Open was already won and the final round was simply a formality, but what transpired was exactly the opposite and the par five 36 hole proved to be the difference for all.

Wanke started of nicely on the first two holes holding his lead but after a triple bogie on three he opened the door and started to give hope to the field. Bruce Gallow who started 8 strokes back was net -1 under through three to move into 2nd place 4 strokes back. Wanke then went net +3 over the next 7 holes to find himself in a tie with Edwards at -2. After 10 holes there was now a log jam a top the leaderboard with 6 players all with in two strokes.

Rick Lopiccolo from New York made his move with net birdies on 12 and 13 to take sole possession of the lead at -2 but gave one back to the field on the par 3 16th with a net Bogie.  With two holes remaining, Lopiccolo and Edwards were tied at -1, Mike Aybar from Miami,  Florida, was in third place at even par after a monster comeback going net -5 on the last five holes and Gallow trailed by two at net +1.  On the 17th,  Edwards bogies while Aybar continues his birdie steak to move into a tie with Lopiccolo at -1 while Gallow remained 2 back at +1. 

With the WGAT Open in Aybar’s reach he records a net double bogie to go +1 while Gallow records a net birdie to move to even par and found himself as the leader in the clubhouse. With Lopiccolo and Edwards on the 18th tee, Lopiccollo records a bogie to move into a tie with Gallow and Edwards at even par. Edwards left with a three footer to force a three way playoff missed the putt putting him in a tie for third place with Aybar at net +1. 

In the sudden death playoff Gallow took care of business on the first hole shooting par to Lopicccolo’s bogie. Gallows Victory earned him an exemption to the USA National Championship with no entry fee and 600 National Order of Merit points. This puts him in first place in the standings surpassing current leader and WGAT Masters Champion Shauna Federico. Gallo in a post round interview noted he most likely will not be able to attend the last two majors. With the WGAT Players Championship rewarding 700 points for first and the WGAT Tour Championship rewarding 800 points for first place Gallows leading 850 points most likely will not hold up leaving the race wide open for the 6 available spot on Team USA.  The other 5 spots will be rewarded to the Flight winners at the National Championship in September.