ERIC BROWN

DAVID AND GOLIATH

The Biblical account of David and Goliath is a popular parable from Scripture. It is a lesson of courage, faith, and how the underdog overcomes the odds and be successful. Eric Brown was "David" and the 6'8'' 2019 League MVP, Rodney Griggs, was "Goliath." Eric Brown began with an amazing start at the turn.  He was up 9 shots over Rodney going into the back nine. Eric faced two huge obstacles.  First,  he's participating in his third tournament as a member of the League which could have incited nervousness. Secondly,  he's facing the best closer in the league.  As the back nine got on the way, Eric boarded the "bogie train" and by the time he got halfway to his destination on 14, his lead was cut in half by only four shots. The "bogie train" continued to run down the tracks to its final stop on hole 18 where Eric had a virtual "gimmie" putt to win the match that did not even touch the hole. This match would go into a two-hole playoff starting on hole 17 par 3,  one hundred fifty-eight yards straight up a 20-foot incline green impossible to see.  Then, the hole 18 is a reachable par 5. Rodney was licking his chops observing Eric's nervousness coming down the stretch on the closing holes. First, Rodney teed off trying to apply the pressure on the rookie but he missed his shot with a wide left. With that miss, it was as if all the pressure was lifted off Eric's shoulders. Eric grabs a rock from his bag and hit Rodney right between the eyes with a shot that never left the flagstick with the landing four feet from the hole.  With blood and sweat dripping from Rodney's forehead, he ran his second shot ten feet past the hole for a bogie. Eric knocked his birdie putt down for a two-shot lead. Both of them blasted their drives down the middle to reach 18 green in two. Rodney's out first. His approach is right at the stick but a little short. Eric hit his second shot with the pin-high in the rough.  Eric is out on his third shot but duffs into the fringe. Rodney hits his third shot a little heavy and leaves himself a 15 footer for birdie.  Eric is putting for birdie from the fringe but leaves it 12 feet short with a tricky downhill slider for par. Rodney put a very good roll on his birdie putt which could have sent it to extra holes although it caught the right side of the cup and spitted it out for a tap in par.  All Eric needed for the win was two putts... pretty easy, right?  It should have been pretty easy if your hand would stop shaking,  your nuts wouldn't be in your throat and you're as nervous as you have been in your entire life. This wasn't even close to being easy.  Well, Eric came through like a champ and left that putt within inches for his British Open Championship.  You showed tremendous will and determination when faced with a bigger, stronger adversary that the underdog may win in an unusual or surprising way.  Congratulations on the takedown of a giant!

SUMMARY

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