CARROLTON TX — Sunday’s second round of the East West Matches ended with the East winning wire-to-wire.
Mid-am Scott Harvey, Maridoe Golf Club owner, and oil tycoon Albert Hudleston invent the Ryder Cup-style event. The East West Matches, which brings together three generations of amateur talent from the U.S.A, is one of the most talent-rich events in amateur golf.
The East was determined to revenge a terrible loss in the first Matches. It attempted to replicate what it had done in 2020.
Friday saw the East leap out to a 6-3 lead during four-ball, before the skies opened and dumped more than an inch of rain on the course. The course was now more mellow and the greens were true rolling greens. Saturday’s 36-hole marathon foursomes match saw the East score another 11 1/2 points.
Leading 17 1/2 to 9 1/2, Captain Nathaniel Crosby and his team had just 5 1/2 singles wins against the West to win the game. This was in retaliation for the two-year-old loss.
The East delivered.
The East won 14 singles matches on Sunday and only seven made it to the 18th. Joe Deraney, East Squad, smirked as he watched his teammates pass the par-3 14th.
He said, “It’s different from last time.”
With a double-digit lead on Sunday, 2020, it was clear that Deraney and the others on that team wanted to win.
The East lost just three matches to West, and split two more. The East’s first win in the inaugural event was achieved with a 14-4 defeat.
What’s the secret to a win-win situation where the talent gap is virtually nonexistent? Crosby shared a tip he learned from multiple Walker Cup captaincies. “I think it (that did it) was the 3 a.m. curfew,” Crosby joked. “The two-hour minimum sleep each player must get each night. You must think it through .”
All jokes aside, this week is about the essence of amateur golf: camaraderie.
Crosby stated that the best part of this tournament was bringing together three generations. “Generational friendships can be the most rewarding. It was great to see college students playing with mid-ams, and seniors playing with mid-ams. This bridged generations is a wonderful format. Everyone had a great time .”
Crosby’s crew will defend Maridoe in 2024, when the East West Matches are held once more.
What’s next? A few senior amateurs and mid-amateurs from the East West Matches (including Golfweek’s No. Rusty Strawn (#1) will be traveling to Spain next week for the Concession Cup.
Teams rosters
Mid-Amateurs
East: Andrew Bailey, Evan Beck, Chip Brooke, Mark Costanza, Joe Deraney, Jeronimo Esteve, Scott Harvey, Matt Mattare, Tug Maude, Chad Wilfong
West: Jason Anthony, Skip Berkmeyer, Denny Bull, Derek Busby, Patrick Christovich, Nick Guyer, Colby Harwell, John Hunter, Brad Nurski, John Swain
Senior Amateurs
East Doug Hanzel and Steve Harwell, Billy Mitchell, Bob Royaks, Rusty Strawns, Matt Sughrue
West: Tommy Brennan, Jon Brown, Robert Funk, John McClure, Mike McCoy, Mike Rowley
Amateurs
East: Nick Dunlap (Alabama), Caleb Surratt (Tennessee)
West: Derek Hitchner (Pepperdine), Luke Potter (Arizona State)
