SCC Matchplay - Clive in Semi-Final

13th January 2010

On a cold day at Pine Ridge, Clive Strong met Neil Willis. Neil's consistency this year meant Clive would really need to be on his game. Neil was giving up four shots.

Hole 1 – A faded drive from Neil found the center of the fairway but a pushed 5 iron from Clive found the tree's on the right. Clive had no choice other than  punching out. Neil's approach fell slightly short. Clive then shanked his wedge to the right edge of the green and Neil chipped on to about 4 feet. A 2 putt from Clive put him in a with a 5 but a solid stroke from Neil saw him find the cup. Neil 1 up.

Hole 2 – A drive from Neil down the left into the rough and a solid 3 iron from Clive in the middle of the fairway. A bit in between clubs, Clive tried 3/4 7 iron but  duffed it into the ditch. Neil found his ball in a small hole which left him with a difficult shot which Neil had no control over. He also found the water. Neil found the right edge with his 4th and Clive found the back of the green. Neil chipped on and 2 putter but Clive could only manage a 3 putt. Halved in 7! Neil 1 up.

Hole 3 – Neil's tee shot came up short in the left hand rough and a 9 iron from Clive found came up a fraction short. Clive chipped on to about 6 feet but Neil's chip went about 12 foot past. The green was a lot quicker than Neil expected and he pushed his shot about 5ft past. A 2 putt from Clive meant Neil needed to sink his next putt which he failed to do. Match All Square.

Hole 4 – A topped drive from Clive managed only 60 yards and a lovely drive from Neil down the left hand side. Clive hit his second shot leaving him 190 to the pin. Neil hit a lovely 3 wood but just failed to clear the bunker. Clive pulled his 3 iron into the tree's on the left with a tricky lie. A low punched 6 iron to the left edge and the ball released to the pin about 5ft past. Neil's shot out of the sand came up about 15ft short. Neil putted up to about 2 foot, but Clive held his nerve and holed out. Neil sunk his putt but Clive had a shot and took the lead. Clive 1 up.

Hole 5 – A great drive up the middle with a 3 wood for Clive followed by a driver from Neil. Neil hit his 3 wood straight up the middle and left it 30 yards short of the green. A 6 iron for Clive left him 20 yards short of the green. A chip from Neil had a started left and found the left edge of the green. Clive checked a sand wedge into the front of the green and saw it release to about 1ft from the cup. A great putt from Neil saw the ball go close and he finished it off for a par. Not quite enough as Clive sunk his birdie putt. Clive is now 2 up.

Hole 6 – A high 6 iron into the wind for Clive saw the ball catch the left fringe and bounce on. Neil's shot didn't make the green but was 2ft right of the bunker. With Neil standing in the bunker and gripping right down the shaft, he chipped up pin high but a few feet left. Clive found himself caught in the rough and hit a chip and run which almost holed out. A simple tap in for Clive. Neil's putting stroke was letting him down and he came up a fraction short. Clive was now firmly in control and 3 up.

Hole 7 – A sliced 3 wood left Clive on the 8th fairway. Another drive up the left for Neil. A punched 5 iron from Clive was the only option and he was back on the fairway. Surprisingly, Neil duffed his second shot. A punchy wedge from Clive came up about 15ft short and Neil was a few feet further back but on the green in 3. A (very) solid putt from Neil hit found the bottom of the cup. Clive's putt came up about a foot short. Neil had pulled one back. Clive now 2 up.

Hole 8 – Another pushed drive from Clive found the right rough and Neil drove down into the left rough. Yet another punched shot from Clive to clear the branches and a pushed shot from Neil found the right side of the fairway. Both players found the green in 3 with Neil having the easier putt. Clive to putt first and came up about 3 feet short and Neil's putt scared the hole but he missed on the low side. Neil tapped in and Clive holed out. Clive had a shot so he took the hole. Clive is back to 3 up.

Hole 9 – Yet another slice with the 3 wood found the 5th fairway and a cracking drive from Neil right up the middle. Another golfer shouting during Clive's down swing put him off and saw him top it into the rough followed by an 8 iron back onto the fairway. Neil didn't catch his second shot at all. Clive's 4th found the left side of the green and Neil's 3rd came up short. His 4th was on the green but left him with a lengthy putt. A great lag putt from Clive saw him tap in for 6 and Neil yet again just missed his putt leaving him a tap in 6. At the half way point, Clive was 3 up.

Hole 10 – A pulled 3 iron from Clive saw him in the left rough. Neil also down the left but in the fairway. Clive had no choice but to chip out. Neil had a bare lie and pushed it right into the tree's. Clive wedged onto the green as did Neil. Neil to putt first and put it to 2 feet. Clive misread the green completely and was up against it. A 3 putt from Clive and 2 putts from Neil. Clive had a shot so maintained his 3 shot lead.

Hole 11 – Another 3 iron from Clive up the right and Neil pulled his drive left. Clive hit his wedge a little too firm and saw it fly past the pin and catch the slope. Neil with a bad lie pushed his shot wildly right and it caught the bank and shot into the tree's. Neil tried desperately to chip out a few times and picked up. Clive was up by the bunker but had a terrible lie. Chipping forward about 6 feet and then onto the green followed by 2 putts saw Clive in with a 6 and now 4 up.

Hole 12 – A nice 4 iron from Clive came up a fraction short of the green and Neil hit his shot right into the tree's. A confident Clive walked to the green. Neil produced a sublime chip which checked up and stopped 1 foot from the pin. A terrible first putt from Clive saw him 12 foot from the pin. However, a much better 2nd putt saw Clive's putt move right to left and find the bottom of the cup. Neil could not quite believe what he was seeing. He holed out and the hole was halved. Clive remained 4 up.

Hole 13 – Another lovely 3 iron from Clive and a cracking drive from Neil saw them both in the fairway. A 5 iron from Clive finished about 3 foot short of the green. Neil pushed his shot but got a drop for his 3rd. Neil chipped on about 15ft past and Clive chipped up to about 6 feet. Two putts each later and the hole was halved. Clive remained 4 up.

Hole 14 – A hooked 3 iron from Clive left him in trouble. Neil as usual, found the fairway! Clive found his ball and chipped out as far as possible but was still in the tree's and had another shot out. His 4th sliced and hit a tree on the right and found the fairway around 150 out. Neil's 2nd was pushed and was in the right rough. A nice 7 iron from Clive found the green in 5 about 15ft right of the pin. Two shots later, Neil was on the green in 4. Clive just missed his bogey putt. Neil got up and down in 6 and took a hole back. Clive was now 3 up and Neil was never going to give up.

Hole 15 – A pushed drive from Neil found the right side but importantly he had a shot. Another 3 iron from Clive looked bound for the tree's but he got a nice kick left. Clive's second came up short and right. Neil's second went long and right. A lovely flop shot from Neil found the green and Clive thinned his chip. A putt from Clive came up short but Neil rattled his putt in. Clive then sunk his 2nd putt. Clive had a shot, but Neil being as tenacious as ever managed to halve the hole. Clive was now dormie 3.

Hole 16 – Neil pulled his shot into the bunker on the left. Clive finally caught his 3 iron flush and was just past the bunker. Neil got out of the bunker but came up short and right. Clive, on the other hand, hit a great pitch shot 3 foot right of the pin. Neil chipped past the hole and putted back past the hole and then holed out for 5. Clive misread the green and missed the birdie putt but he confidently sunk his return putt for a par and the match. Clive eventually ran out 4&2.

Clive was never going to have an easy day and even though he received 4 shots was probably the underdog as we all know how consistent Neil is. Clive has to be thankful that Neil did not play to his normal standard. With Clive having the driving woes, he had to settle with teeing up with the 3 iron in hand. A good score using only irons gives Clive a lot of confidence and he now moves on to the semi finals to meet at equally tough opponent in Charles Chan.

Match Report by Clive Strong