Fawcett back atop Tamarack masters division

WASAGAMING — Keith Fawcett wasn’t necessarily expecting to reach another Tamarack golf tournament final, much less take the commanding lead he did on Saturday.

He figured Dale Murray would give him a run, and did he ever. The Gilbert Plains Country Club member roared back from 3 down with four to play to force a playoff. But Fawcett, who knows Clear Lake Golf Course as well as anyone around, bounced back to par the first playoff hole and claim the masters men’s title for the third time on Saturday.

“I didn’t think I’d get to 18 with him because he’s a very good golfer and a nice guy,” Fawcett said.

“Just my lucky day, I guess.”

Fawcett, 75, became the oldest player to win the masters (50-and-older) crown.

He felt his pulling ahead by three on the back nine had more to do with Murray.

But that was the theme for most of the day across the board as a chilly wind ripped through the course in Riding Mountain National Park.

Fawcett lipped out a par putt on the 15th hole to let Murray within two. Then, Murray drove the 16th green and won the hole.

Fawcett missed a par putt on the 18th hole for the win, but made no mistake with his lag putt on the playoff hole.

Murray rammed his about four feet by and missed the par save to end it.

“I just made sure I got the first putt to the hole and it was a foot away,” Fawcett said.

Fawcett qualified as the No. 2 seed, beat Chris Patrick in the quarterfinals, and then defeated Darren Graves in the semifinals.

BIEBER, TROOP WIN

LADIES’ SCRAMBLE

The other championship playoff was the result of a dramatic finish, and it came in the ladies’ scramble division.

Jody Bieber and Jayne Troop edged defending champions Tracy Rutledge and Leslie Olson on the first playoff hole of an exciting final.

Bieber and Troop enjoyed a comfortable 2-up lead until Olson and Rutledge cut into it on the 14th hole and tied it with a birdie two holes later.

But the sisters bounced back to birdie the 17th hole and were a five-foot putt away from the title.

However, Rutledge sank a bending 25-footer to save par, pressuring Bieber and Troop into a miss to extend the match.

The longtime Tamarack players bounced back with a par to win.

KIDD DROPS TOP-SEED

PARKER IN SENIOR MEN’S

Larrie Kidd wasn’t sure he’d ever golf again, let alone be in position to win a Tamarack title.

But he worked his way back to the senior men’s final and defeated medallist Glen Parker 4 and 3 on Saturday.

Kidd suffered a stroke four years ago and lost eyesight on his left side.

“I thought I was done playing pool, I thought I was done playing golf, but here I am,” Kidd said.

Kidd had to adapt his golf game in a few ways to compensate. The first is easier said than done.

“You don’t hit it left,” he said with a chuckle, adding the stroke impacted him around the greens as well, since it’s hard to see the line in front of his ball.

“It’s a little bit of an adjustment but once you line your putt up, you trust it.”

They were tied on the front nine, then Kidd parred the first three holes on the back to lead by three. He made a terrific up and down from the green-side bunker on the 13th to maintain the lead, and closed it out two holes later.

Kidd started working at Clear Lake Golf Course after retiring. He maintains the club’s 80 golf carts and enjoys being there, especially during the Tamarack.

“Everybody loves Tamarack week,” Kidd said. “It’s such a family-oriented thing, and great competition.”

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