Ticino Championship of Switzerland 2012 – April 20-22

After a long hiatus from tournament golf, I have decided to start my 2012 season in beautiful Ascona, Switzerland by playing in the Ticino Championship.  If a more scenic place exists in Europe, please, enlighten me J.  

The first photo is from the car, only 40 kilometers from the town.  It wasn't looking like very good golf weather...

But then...

I am staying with a friend Luka Naretto, whom I met last year during the Swiss International.  Then, a few glasses of wine and a proficiency in networking have landed me, now, in a beautiful home directly on the piazza on the Lago Magiorre, one kilometer from the tournament course.  Check out this view from his rooftop overlooking the town –

To golf.  Rounds one and two are through.  It has been very cold and rainy, making conditions quite difficult to go low.  For two days, I was the ultimate grinder, if I may dub myself such.  I had to be one of the worst players tee to green in the field of 92.  I missed the first 7 fairways & greens and found myself +4.  Well, there goes the season opener… or wait.  Despite being 50 degrees out, my new putter goes into Vesuvius mode and I finish the day with 6 birdies, firing a 70, right back in contention.  Day one ended with two tied leaders at 69, and 12 others between 70-73.

Round two.  I birdie the first, which never seems to pan out for me.  Alas I put on a nerve wrecking display of magic and tragic.  I double bogeyed the par 3 10^th like a monkey, and followed it up with 3 straight birdies, only to follow that with two straight bogeys and another double bogey on the par 3 17^th.  But a consolation birdie on the difficult 18^th put me back in the red with a 71.  Two-day total of 141 (70, 71) has me in a third place tie, and a spot in the final group on Sunday.  Only a few shots behind the leaders - right where I want to be.    

Sunday Funday (not the college version).

I bogey the first.  Good sign?  I think yes. 

Despite having 10 players within 4 shots of the lead, it soon became clear to me that I had to deal only with on man: Edouard Amacher, the #1 player in Switzerland.  He lead after day one, he lead after day two, and now after my opening bogey he leads me by 3 shots.  I birdie 4, 6, 7, 8 while Eduoard plays these holes in +1, and he bogeys number 9.  Can you say 6 shot swing?  I’m -3 on the front and lead the Ticino Championship by 3.

Let the Sunday shootout begin…  I’m going to jump ahead and say, this is the most fun I have EVER had in a golf tournament.  Hope you’re ready for me to share this battle.

The back nine.

Hole 10: Ed holes a 15 meter bomb for birdie, I par.

Hole 11: Ed holes another 6 meter putt for birdie, I par.  My 1 shot lead.

Hole 12: Par 5.  I attacked in two and short-sided myself to a downhill green, with a hill between the pin and myself.  I pull out my 64* wedge, take a deep breath, and play a massive swing flop shot.  The pure sound of silence echoes as my ball elevates and lands like a feather on the fringe, only cm past the rough line.  Seemingly in slow motion, my ball trickles towards the pin, only a few paces on.   With minimal life left, the ball drops into the hole, Eagle.  I stood in confusion for a second as to what just happened, but a rioting crowd brought me back to reality.  Ed misses his birdie putt.  Too much drama for him.  My 3 shot lead returns.

Hole 13.  Long par 3.  Ed drains a birdie put.  I three putt from 25 meters.

Hole 14.  Redundant I know, Ed holes another bomb for birdie and the crowd, doting their local Swiss player in his own country, loves it. I make a good bogey after being behind a tree right of the green.  I am now one back.

Hole 15.  My turn.  I drain a downhill breaking putt for birdie.  Ed Pars. Tie game.

Holes 16. My turn, again.  I’m 2 meters off the green and 10 meters from the hole. I select the putter.  I was thinking two putt and the thing goes in. I’m one up with two to go.  Can you see why this is so much fun?

Holes 13-18 are supposed to be the toughest on the course, and Ed and I are putting on a show.  At this point, he gave me a glance as to say, touché.  We were both living and loving the moment.  Birdies and eagles in front of a crowd.  Neck and neck.  One of us is going to win.

17.  Par 3, 210 into the wind, water short and left.  Pin tucked in the Sunday corner.  I hit a hard 4-iron into the heart of the green and Ed puts it to 3 meters… are you kidding me?

I make a good 2 putt par and Ed… misses his birdie. 

18.  OB left, forest right.  I played 3-wood all week but pulled driver today as the wind was hard in our face.  A spin-less bullet down the middle.  Eduoard repeats.  I’m away.  I hit a good 5 iron and it carries the giant green bunker, but ends up just short in the bit of grass behind the trap, front of the green.  Ed stripes a shot from 185, into the cold wind, and nearly holes out.  He has a tap in.  I leave my next shot about 2 meters short and… lip-out the putt, high-side.

Link to ---->   Ticino Championship Leaderboard 

We both shot 67 and I came in 2^nd by one shot.  (70, 71, 67)  Bitter sweet, as it was an incredible duel with a very formidable player, which I would love to have won.  None the less, I played my heart out and so did he, and I am walking away loving the encounter.  If Ed and I had played a bestball format, we would have shot a 57 (26 on the back).

Here is a shot with Luca (right) and another compadre, Arthur (left).  

I'm off to Frankfurt tomorrow to play the DGV Matchplay Trophy, Thursday-Sunday.  Top 32 German players are invited to play in this matchplay bracket, leaving one man standing on Sunday.