DAVID KNOWLES

GREAT TOURNAMENT

Over of past ten seasons, we have had some great tournaments. The 2021 Masters would rank amongst the best. There are four key components necessary to formulate a great match. The first element would be the weather, and we definitely checked that box with sunshine and blue skies with just a little overcast. The second and probably the most crucial element would be the field. The field was packed with major champions. Five of the players earned six Masters jackets, undoubtedly hanging in their closets. So double-check that box. Thirdly is the storyline. Is there something intriguing about this tournament? It could be something leading up to the contest or something that is happening during the game or a notable impact from its conclusion. Well, where do I start? Before the tournament started, I got commitments from all former Masters winners to participate on this Tenth-season anniversary.  But as the game progressed, it was clear it would not be any past champion that would win. This likelihood wasn't a bad storyline leading up to The Masters, but there's another story developing toward the end of the tournament.
 JK Miller won the Masters in 2019 and 2020. He received the honor to put the jacket on his Godchild, Khris Colbert, and the prediction was that Khris would get the opportunity to put the jacket on his father, Craig Colbert, in 2021. Now we got good weather, an all-star field, and a touching storyline. Check, check, check.  The final component or the last piece of the puzzle to make up a great tournament is the Outcome. Let's pick up the action at the turn on the back nine because on Sunday afternoon s is where champions are created.  The top 3 players were David Knowles, Craig Colbert, and the rookie phenom, Ian Cerisano. David came out smoking hot with a field low 37 on the front. He was up several shots on both of them, but by the time David reached the Blue Monster on 18, he was only up one on Craig, who was in the clubhouse sitting on even par. David ended up booging the Blue Monster. We're sitting on pins and needles waiting on the last in the group to see if Ian is included in the playoff.  Ian fell victim to the beast with a boogie giving a solo 3rd. Nothing gives me a woodie like overtime, buzz beaters, or a playoff. Yes, this tournament went into sudden death like the 2016 Masters between Mike Rizzo and Jaime Villarreal. 
The two players left standing on top with the exact number on the scoreboard were David Knowles and Craig Colbert, both at even par. The playoffs would start on hole number six, the short par three where club selection would key to a good shot. Craig hit first and dunk it into the bunker. David tee shot never left the flag.  He hit past the hole, and then just like on tv, it starts to trickle back toward the hole, leaving him a 12 footer for birdie. Craig blast sand shot let him ten feet to save the match.  David birdie dead on line put stop just inches from ending the game. I am not sure if Craig misread his putt or just pushed it outside his line, but he knew the second he hit it that it was game over.  
Congratulations, David Knowles, you are the 2021 Master Champion. That brings us to the final storyline of the 2021 Master that is David won twice in the league, a PGA and now a Masters with no regular-season tournaments, and his Brother Lonnie has more wins in the history of the league but no majors.  Put the Knowles Brother together, and they would be the first-ballot Hall of Famers. The Golf Gods are demented.          

SUMMARY

PAYOUT

LLOYD HART

WHAT JUST HAPPENED

Two past champions, Lloyd Hart in 2014 and Jarrod Ballou in 2015, had high aspirations of winning the B Flight. Ballou started in great shape, but the last two holes on the front nine killed him, and he nose-dived toward the bottom of the pack. On the other hand, Lloyd played solid all day but was falling five shots behind the leader, rookie Trey Van de Smith, in the final holes. We will get to his middle name, Van de, in just one second. 
Gene Chesson played well and tied for third place with Chuck Tolliver. Ok back to the middle name part of the story, Trey cruised around on autopilot en route to his Masters Championship. He was up by five shots with 4 to play. He lost a shot on 15 and then another one on 16. So the stage now is set, Trey was up three on the last hole to win the Masters Championship. In my opinion, this is where Trey earned his middle name. Let me introduce to some and re-introduce to others Jean Van de Velde, the 152nd-ranked golfer in the world, teeing off on the 18th hole of the 1999 British Open tournament seemingly in hand.
That weekend Open Championship marked 20 years since the suave and little-known Jean Van de Velde hastened to humiliation, blowing a three-shot lead on the final hole at Carnoustie in a Monty Python series of misjudgments. It remains to this day the go-to 15 minutes of YouTube for those of us heavily addicted to golf’s uniquely visceral anxiety porn (please don’t judge). Epic in scale and preordained to end badly with all of the elements of Greek tragedy are mainlined into one par four. I watched it over and over again with captivated attention and tried not to tear my eyeballs out like Oedipus. 
Angie and I always have friendly bets for every tournament.  In this tournament, Angie placed her coins on Lloyd, and mine was on Trey. Well, after a few water balls, a blade shot from the greenside bunker, and a little light to see Trey register a nine on the last hole.  The parallel between the Van de name is to start every day from scratch and focus on the process by continually learning and adapting. This loss handed the Masters to Lloyd and gave Angie more bragging rights for another perfect pick. 
Congratulations, Lloyd, on your second Masters' championship with your unrelenting determination of pressing on to the end.  

SUMMARY

PAYOUT