Gardiner’s Bay Country Club report

It was an exciting week in women’s world golf. Yuka Saso, 19, became the first woman golfer from the Philippines to win the U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Saso beat Japan’s Nasa Hataoka in a sudden-death, 3-hole playoff. 

More excitement came from the men’s side, this time of a negative nature, when Jon Rahm (the world’s #2 men’s golfer) tested positive for COVID-19 and, per PGA Tour policy, had to withdraw from Jack Nicklaus’s Memorial Tournament in Ohio.

Rahm, the defending champion, had a 6-stroke lead with one round to go and looked a certainty to become a back-to-back winner when he received the upsetting news.

We had more golfing excitement at Gardiner’s Bay this weekend, as nearly 60 members battled through 45 holes in our club-wide Member-Member Matchplay. Teams of two were divided by golfing handicap, into five flights of six teams, plus a consolation flight. Then they played 9-hole matches in a round robin format against other teams within their flight.

Congratulations to flight winners:

Shea Dailey & Nick Ivers (Manhansett House)

John & Matthew Daileader (Dering Harbor)

Ted & Sam Barber (Hay Beach)

Greg Clements & David Russekoff (Gardiner’s Bay)

Kirk Kessler & John Kenlon (Ram Island)

Char Russekoff & James Murphy (Prospect House)

All the winners then progressed to a Sudden Death Shootout, and what a fantastic playoff it was.

The Barber Boys came out on top, with Sam and Ted playing wonderfully against some worthy opposition in the “Cauldron of Pressure,” our 9th hole amphitheater.

Our six-flight winning teams played an alternate shot playoff. There was some super golf, especially some splendid Shea saves. But even some spectacular short-game shots couldn’t stop the Barber brothers, and on the third playoff hole Ted holed an incredible 15-foot putt for the win and the Overall Champion’s Title.  

Congratulations to the Brothers Barber!