CHUCK TOLLIVER

ROLLER COASTER

After all the hype and anticipation of the 2023 HOUSTON GOLF LEAGUE US OPEN at Augusta Pines came to a dramatic conclusion with a two-man playoff roller coaster ride finish. Let's take a look at what transpired before the ride began. Jeremy Williams, the longest hitter in the league, had just blasted a shot down the center of the par five 18th with a short iron in his hand, hoping to make an eagle or birdie and put pressure on Chuck Tolliver, who was tied at two under par with a few more holes to play. Jeremy's approach left him with a 25-foot eagle putt, which he left short, and then missed his birdie putt giving him a par and a sinking feeling that he had just lost the tournament. 
Chuck entered the 18th needing a par to send it into a playoff, and a birdie to win it outright. He hit a good drive but decided to lay up on his second shot, trusting his wedge and putter to make him the US Open champion. However, Chuck rolled the die on the cautious side as his wedge approach was online but long and ended up on the edge of the green with a fast downhill slider for a winning birdie putt. He managed to get up and down with a three-foot center cup par-saving putt. This brought us to the roller coaster 3-hole playoff. The rules were simple - they would play one par 3, one par 4, and one par 5, with Chuck receiving one stroke on the par 4 to make it a fair fight. Jeremy won the flip and hit first, right into the water. Chuck hit his approach right into the middle of the green to walk off the first playoff hole with a two-shot lead. The second hole par four saw Chuck miss the green and end up in the bunker. Jeremy then blasted his tee shot with a wedge in his hand, sticking his approach within 12 feet, making it a very makeable putt to send the match even, but he left it short right in the jaws, two inches short. Going into the 18th, Jeremy was one down and both players looked extremely nervous - Jeremy put his drive in the water on the right side and Chuck hooked his ball and couldn't find it. After their lay-ups, both players were even. Well, to make a long story short, Chuck was able to get up and down for a par while Jeremy was not, making Chuck the 2023 US Open Champion and the victor of the hundreds of dollars that go with it. Congratulations to him for adding a second Major to his resume!

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