ACE IN THE HOLE: Unlikely dream shot carries Merriman and Levesque into Sun Scramble championship round - Ottawa Sun
For Ryan Merriman, hitting his first-ever ace — a hole-in-one on the 130-yard par-3 fifth — was especially memorable.
Article content
Ryan Merriman wasn't quite sure what to expect Thursday before taking to the Dragonfly Golf Links for the Sun Scramble's Absolute Comedy C Division on Thursday.
Advertisement 2
Article content
Along with partner Matthew Levesque, it was his first venture into the tournament.
Article content
On top of that, there was the not so small handicap of playing with the broken finger he suffered playing soccer three weeks ago.
Considering all of the above, hitting his first-ever ace — a hole-in-one on the 130-yard par-3 fifth — was especially memorable.
Article content
He'll be the first to acknowledge that it was anything but perfect.
"I hit a nine-iron, topped it, did not think it was going well and I was just praying it was going to make the green," Merriman said. "I thought it was going to come up short. And it cut a little bit left and then, I guess, it made the green … ."
At that point, Levesque weighed in.
"And then it disappeared. We weren't sure. Was it in the swamp? I didn't see it on the green."
Advertisement 3
Article content
As Levesque went ahead in the golf cart to see where the ball ended up, Merriman stayed behind.
"I was having a mini heart attack," he said. "I was scared of the hope that people were giving me that I had actually hit it in."
When the two confirmed the ball was in the hole, Merriman asked his partner if he wanted to take his shot.
"No, I don't want to lose another expensive ball," Levesque replied.
Merriman says he has never been close to a hole-in-one before. He has had only a "handful" of birdies on par 3s.
A few years back, he normally shot in "the 1-teens" but began taking the game more seriously when golf became one of the few available outlets during COVID-19 restrictions.
Accordingly, he has chopped 10 strokes off his game in each of the past two seasons.
Advertisement 4
Article content
As for the broken finger, he says there has been plenty of trial and error during the past few weeks while trying to find a workable grip.
Apparently, he found a good one.
As it turns out, the ace was pivotal in giving Merriman and Levesque —childhood friends who typically play out of Perth — some breathing room in qualifying for Saturday's championship round at the Rockland Golf Club.
They finished with a 3-under-par 69, beating the cut of 2-under 70 on a day full of memories.
The ace set the tone for the 32 they shot on the front nine and they held it together during some bumpy moments on the back nine.
"It was great to make (a hole-in-one) at this tournament, with the Club EG guy there to witness it, too," said Merriman.
It also wasn't quite as costly as it might have been if different company had been involved.
Advertisement 5
Article content
"With our friend group, you have to buy a keg for the people you are playing with," Levesque said, with a laugh.
They will be in tough on Saturday.
Chief among the challengers will be Kent Johnston and Hope Chuchinnawat, who were in their own state of disbelief only minutes after fashioning the day's best score — a 7-under 65.
A year ago, the two longtime friends — they attended Winston Churchill elementary and J.S. Woodsworth High School together — finished at plus three, well over the cut line to advance to the championship round.
Their Thursday round included an eagle on the par-5 sixth hole, along with one bogey and six birdies.
"The putting was big," said Chuchinnawat. "Once the first birdie went in, everything clicked. Today was one of those days where everything rolled in."
Advertisement 6
Article content
Their success altered their golf plans for the weekend.
They originally had their eyes set on watching Brooke Henderson at the CP Women's Open on Saturday. Instead, they'll be trying to go on another birdie parade of their own at Rockland.
Watching Henderson will have to wait a day.
"Instead of Saturday, I guess we'll be going (to the Open) on Sunday," said Johnston.
The tandem of Jason Laurans and Al Gustafson finished at 6-under 66, followed by John Kingsley and Tony MacDonald at 4-under 68.
Three other groups joined Merriman and Levesque at 3-under. Seven pairings were at 2-under, completing the 14 twosomes that will be in for Saturday's championship round.
On Friday, the Scramble moves to the Hylands, where the men's, senior and junior events will be on tap. The top pairings from those events will also move on to play in the championship rounds on the weekend.
kwarren@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/Citizenkwarren
-
LOOKING TO B GOOD: Former C champs taking run at Ottawa Sun Scramble B title
-
OH, BROTHER: All in the family in Ottawa Sun Scramble's D Division
Comments
Post a Comment