On Wednesday, May 8th four finalists of the
NFJG TOUR's 2019 President's Day Match Play Championship met on the first tee on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass to determine tis year's Overall Match Play Champion. Matches prior were played at Pablo Creek Golf Club
Each of the four boys already declared champions of their bracket. Moses Compaan won the "RUSSELL KNOX" bracket (named after the NFJG TOUR Ambassador) while Charlie Kurtz is the Champion of the Tiger Woods Bracket.
When the match started Kurtz would get off to a blazing start with a birdie at the opening hole to go one up. He would win two more holes before the fifth hole to go three up after four, but then the SWING. We all know It normally happens in match play. Let your guard down with comfort and the guy down pounces back on you and that is what happened to Kurtz. By the turn, Compaan would take the lead 1-up and would never give it up again, although Kurtz would try to take it all back little by little with a birdie at the par-3 13th and a sanding par-4 to save par and extend the match to the short par-5 16th. On the 16th Kurtz would bomb a drive off the tee and would leave himself 210 to the hole which was tucked in the back right hand corner. He would go for broke attacking the flag knowing he had to win the hole, but his approach would come up short and in the drink. After dropping, he would pitch up to a foot and make par. Compaan in front of the green in two would putt his 90 footer and would leave himself 12 feet coming back. He would take the left to right putt right into the bottom of the cup to claim victory to win 3&2.
It was a great match indeed. Great job to both players!
Back in the consolation match Nolan Zaepfel and Ryan Poblacion would have a blast going back and forth with the lead, but in the end and on the par-3 17th hole the match would be decided and Zaepfel would win the match 2&1 to be declared the Consolation Match Champion.
C
ompaan and Zaepfel would each earn an exemption to the
St. Augustine Junior and an Exemption into the NFJG TOUR Championship.