THE PINEAPPLE CUP: August 2008

North Myrtle Beach, SC (AP) – For Immediate Release – August 10, 2008

Congratulations to Captain Steve-O Riddick and his team of warriors, including the 2008 Pineapple Cup champion Jeff Wilson!

The 2008 Pineapple Cup is in the record books. The weekend was filled with dramatic momentum swings, clutch play, good laughs, heartbreaks, dunkaroos and plenty of golf! Participants logged 72 competitive holes over the course of the three-day weekend in August. Here is a summary of the golfing events!!

FRIDAY MORNING (August 8, 2008):

Friday morning saw the competitors in action in a four ball event without the captains’ physical presence to assist. Play began at 9 AM sharp at Barefoot Resort's Love course. Match 1 paired Buck Williams and Lindsay Carrington against Alex Yates and his ghost partner. Match 2 pitted the brothers Wilson against Pineapple Cup rookies Wes Argabrite and Matt Zimmerman.

Team Tucker threatened to runaway with the first match when Yates and his ghost partner (Argabrite) won the first three holes and were two under after three. Buck and Lindsay were in shock and needed to make something happen, quickly. On the 5th hole, it happened. After mediocre drives, no competitor hit the green in regulation. Buck found himself in deep rough with a pitch over a greenside bunker. Yates and Lindsay were just off of the green with relatively length chips. Then, boom goes the dynamite! Buck takes a lash at his ball; it pops out onto the green and finds the hole for a birdie! The imaginary crowd went wild. After composing himself, Yates stepped up to his lengthy chip and promptly matched Buck’s shot by knocking it in the hole!! A jubilant Yates performed a Hale Irwin-esque run around the green celebrating the wonderful halve he secured on the hole. But wait, Buck’s only stroke of the day came at the 5th and Team Riddick finally struck blood in Match 1. It was a temporary life, though, as Yates and Team Tucker would go on to win the front side 3&2. The first points of the 2008 Pineapple Cup belonged to Team Tucker.

One group behind, Wes Argabrite made it known that he was the real deal steal. Argabrite (who was an unknown quantity to many in the Pineapple Cup) birdied the first hole and never looked back on the front nine, shooting 4-under (net). Team Tucker easily won the front nine 3&1. The second points also belonged to Team Tucker.

Back in Match 1, Buck and Carrington were fighting hard to stay alive. Yates would not give up his 4 up lead until the par 5 13th. With Carrington in a water hazard, Buck Williams struck paydirt again. A driver off of the deck from over 250 yards was on a rope. The ball hit short of the green, bounded up and clinked off of the flagstick to 6 inches. A gimmie eagle set up what would become the first back nine comeback of the weekend for Team Riddick. Carrington won the 14th hole with a par and Team Riddick was now only 2 down. The next two holes were halved with pars between Yates and Carrington. The match was dormie going into the seventeenth hole. On the 17th green, Buck found his magic again when he canned a 40-foot putt for birdie. Team Riddick would not go away in Match 1. Yates and Buck matched each other shot for shot on the 18th hole. Both had birdie putts of under 15 feet. Buck’s putt never left the intended line and dropped in for his second birdie in a row. Yates’ putt just slid by on the high side and Team Riddick won the back nine and halved the overall match. WOW! The score: Team Tucker 2, Team Riddick 2.

Match 2 was kinder to Team Tucker. After being down thru 9, the brothers Wilson fought heroically on the back side and won the 14th and 16th holes to keep the match alive. Argabrite’s solid par (net birdie) on the 17th secured the overall match victory for Team Tucker. However, the back nine point was still in question. Both Mark Wilson and Argabrite faced slippery par (net birdie) putts that determined whether Team Riddick would win a full point on the back nine. Argabrite made his downhill putt and set up a pressure-packed 8-footer for Mark Wilson for a full win on the back nine. As you might expect from a tested veteran, Wilson’s putt found the middle of the hole.

Only 1 point (3.5 – 2.5) separated the teams after Friday morning’s matches!

FRIDAY AFTERNOON (August 8, 2008):

Friday afternoon's action moved to Barefoot Resort's Dye course. At 7,343 yards, the Dye course proved to be as difficult as advertised. Tommy DeMint arrived in time for afternoon play and was paired with a red-hot Wes Argabrite against Lindsay Carrington and Jeff Wilson in Match 3. Match 4 found Buck Williams and Mark Wilson against revenge-minded Alex Yates and Matt Zimmerman.

DeMint/Argabrite and Carrington/Wilson traded blows throughout the front nine but the nine ended all square. Carrington knocked in winning birdies on the 10th and 11th (net) and Team Riddick never looked back, winning the match 4&2 overall and the back nine 4&2. The score, Team Riddick 5, Team Tucker 4.

Zimmerman got off to a quick start in Match 4 with a birdie (net eagle) on the 1st. Another win on the 6th (Yates birdie) saw Team Tucker 2 up. Mark Wilson responded on the 7th with a birdie (net). Team Riddick couldn’t manage a win on the 8th or 9th, and Team Tucker had won the front 1 up. Yates and Zimmerman poured in two more wins on the 12th and 13th, respectively, to take a commanding 3 up lead with five holes to play. By this point, Captain Riddick had joined his troops on the course after a lengthy drive from Atlanta. Mark Wilson rewarded his captain with a key birdie (net) on the 14th. The competitors halved the 15th and Team Riddick was 2 down with three holes to play. With his captain and fellow teammates watching, Wilson again stepped up his play by draining a HUGE, must have 7 foot birdie putt on the 16th. Team Riddick was now 1 down with two holes to play. The pressure could be cut with a knife. The 17th is a 200-yard par 3 with the pin tucked just over a deep pot bunker. As he had in the morning matches, Buck garnered his strength and nailed a long iron right at the hole. It came to rest about 20 feet beyond it. Yates’ answer was right on line, but fell just short into the pot bunker. (see picture) Left with an impossible bunker shot, Yates splashed out to 15 feet.

Buck’s

birdie putt came up short and the par was conceded. Match 4 became all square when Yates was unable to convert the par attempt. Team Riddick had won three of the last four holes and was gunning to win the last match of the day.

The 18th hole at Barefoot’s Dye course is a 470 yard par 4 with water running the length of the hole on the left. The players knew the water existed because the lake is shared by the ninth hole. However, due to darkness the water was almost indiscernible from the tee box. Nevertheless, all four players found the fairway with their drives. Despite finding the fairway, the players were left with long irons and hybrids into a difficult pin tucked behind a bunker. Buck was first to play. He hit a wood short and left of the green leaving a difficult chip that had to negotiate a ridge running off of the bunker. With his partner short, but in play, Mark Wilson took a mighty swing at a hybrid hopeful to put the ball long of the green and leave an uphill chip or putt. Instead, he caught the ball heavy and it finished 20 yards short of the green. Finally, Yates nuked a long iron overtop of the pin that settled just off the back of the green. Advantage Team Tucker. Team Riddick decided to have Buck attempt his chip before Mark had to negotiate a flop shot. While the strategy might have been sound, the execution was not. Buck chunked his chip shot and it did not make it on the proper side of the ridge. Facing a very difficult flop shot, and an opponent with a makeablebirdie, Mark Wilson again hit a clutch shot. The ball lofted high into the air and almost landed in the hole! It came to rest about 5 feet away for par. Yates nestled his birdie putt near the hole for a par. The results of the match rested on Mark’s shoulders. After much team deliberation on the break of the putt, Mark lined up. His short stroke never waivered and the ball fell into the hole for a world-class up and down four. Fittingly, the match ended in a tie.

By the end of the day, Team Riddick made up the one point differential going into Friday afternoon play and then some. On the strength of solid closing play Team Riddick built a 6.5 to 5.5 lead.

After the round, we caught up with Mark Wilson about his play. “It is really easy playing team golf when you’ve got Buck as a partner. Buck is the greatest green reader of all time. As you know, there are only two factors in putting, one of which is the line. When Buck Williams gives you a line, all you need to do is worry about your speed. He told me on that last putt ‘Split the lip’ and that’s what I did. He’s the best.”

Captain Riddick echoed Wilson’s enthusiasm. “Obviously, I’m pumped that our team is leading by one point after today. I was very nervous earlier this morning after both of my teams were dismantled on the front 9 over at the Love course. My mind definitely wandered to the United States’ performance in the Ryder Cup in 2004 and 2006 and to the Brit’s performance at Walton Heath in 1981. I drafted my guys for a reason. I knew they wouldn’t go away. I’m pretty sure Team Tucker knew that as well. My team responded very well. As I thought might happen, Buck really took the challenge of playing his old teammate to heart. He stepped up both in the morning and afternoon. However, Buck would not have been in position to birdie 17 and 18 this morning had Carrington not converted several key pars over the course of the backside. As for this evening’s match, it was special. First, I wasthrilled to be able to make it onto the course in time to watch. Mark’s birdie on 16 was huge for us! It really put the pressure on Team Tucker to avoid another back nine meltdown. I’m not really sure how anybody makes par on the last with that pin placement in this darkness. But both teams did. It is a testament to the participants’ will to succeed.”Team Tucker rookie Wes Argabrite discussed his play on Friday when we spoke. “I’ll admit it, I was nervous on the first tee this morning. I was not sure what to expect. However, I took a few deep breaths and birdied the first. That settled my nerves. I played well the rest of the morning. Got to give the Wilson boys credit, though, for their good play on the back nine earlier today. As for this afternoon, well, Tommy and I never quite got a rhythm going. It was fun to nail that birdie on 2 right after Carrington birdied it. Anyway, they played better than we did. It is as simple as that. I think I’ll play much steadier tomorrow now that I have a full day under my belt.”

SATURDAY (August 9, 2008):

All participants had arrived by Friday night and celebrated the first day’s action into the wee hours of the morning. Saturday action began bright and early at the Surf Club, only a short walk from the plush lodging arrangements. Captain Tucker paired himself with Tommy DeMint and decided to send himself out first in an effort to gain early momentum. Captain Riddick again paired the brothers Wilson and sent them out against Tommy DeMint and Captain Tucker in Match 5. (see picture) Captain Riddick hoped Buck Williams’ magic would continue because the bachelor Boone Smith was almost scratched before playing a match. The Buck/Boone team faced Fred Stone and Wes Argabrite in Match 6 (see picture). In the final match (Match 7) of the day, Captain Riddick paired himself with Lindsay Carrington against Alex Yates and Matt Zimmerman.

Captain Tucker proved his strategy sound when he and Tommy D took the front nine 1 up. He and Tommy continued to build the lead throughout the back nine, eventually leading 3 up with 3 to play. However, the brothers Wilson again mounted a back nine charge. Would it be enough? A birdie on the 17th closed the gap to one with one hole to play. Mark’s hybrid on the last found the correct area of the green and left a 10 foot birdie putt. After watching a 3 up lead evaporate to 1 up with one hole to play, one could understand that Captain Tucker and Tommy were nervous. Tommy’s nerves were tested when Captain Tucker’s hybrid found the left water. Then, on the 18th tee, Tommy DeMint played one of the most memorable shots of the 2008 Pineapple Cup. The author will never know what swing thought went through Tommy’s head on that fateful tee, but suffice it to say it was not a positive one. Tommy’s long iron went straight right off the hosel and found trees that were previous thought not to be in play. Par conceded, the brothers Wilson squared the overall match and won the side. Captain Tucker was denied gaining ground in the first match of Saturday morning. The score: Team Riddick 8, Team Tucker 7.

A somewhat disappointed DeMint commented on his last shot: “What can I say it was a cold shank. It was atrocious. The pressure of playing with a captain and the Pineapple Cup finally got to me. I worked really hard on some swing changes in 2007 in anticipation of 2008. All day long I was on plane and where I needed to be. I was trusting it. I wasn’t watching anybody else swing. Totally focused. Then, out of the corner of my eye I saw Captain Tucker’s loop hybrid find the water. I stood on the tee trying to envision my shot and it wouldn’t come to me. Finally, I just had to step up and pull the trigger.”

As it turned out, the strategy that worked in Match 6 was Captain Tucker’s.

His pairing of Stone and Argabrite was genius. They were the definition of “ham and egg.” Both players carded 71 (net) and combined for a best ball 63 (net). All of the birdies translated into a 1 up lead after nine and a 3&2 overall win. It was the first sweep of the matches. The score: Team Tucker 10, Team Riddick 8.

In the final match of the day, Team Riddick jumped out to an early lead when Captain Riddick birdied (net) the 4th. Riddick/Carrington won the front side 2 up. Carrington made it a 3-hole advantage with an eagle (net) on the 10th. Despite the early lead, Alex Yates’ solid play (Alex Yates carded a 70) kept his team in it. His partner, Matt Zimmerman, would assist on three holes, none more important than on the par 3 13th. After his tee shot hit a tree immediately adjacent to the tee box, Zimm was left with a hybrid for his second shot into the par 3. His second never left the flagstick and ended up 5 feet short of the pin. Zimm was back in play! Carrington’s 15-foot birdie putt missed, leaving the door wide open for Zimm’s birdie (net) putt. When Zimm’s putt fell, Team Tucker stole a win and the momentum. The participants would trade blows over the next six holes and the final match was halved with pars on the last hole.

Without a doubt Saturday belonged to Team Tucker. His team won 5 of 9 matches (only lost 2) and held an 11.5 to 9.5 edge heading into Sunday Singles of the 2008 Pineapple Cup!

SUNDAY SINGLES:

As you might imagine, the captains entertained a number of strategies for Sunday singles matches. The one question that need not be answered was whether the captains were going to play each other. It was mandated. Captain Riddick felt it was important to erase the 2 point deficit quickly. On the other hand, Captain Tucker decided to back load his team. Accordingly, the Sunday singles matches were set:

Match 8 – Jeff Wilson v. Matt Zimmerman
Match 9 – Mark Wilson v. Wes Argabrite
Match 10 – Lindsay Carrington v. Fred Stone
Match 11 – Boone Smith v. Tommy DeMint
Match 12 – Buck Williams v. Alex Yates
Match 13 – Steve Riddick v. Andrew Tucker

Any veteran will tell you that the matches are won and lost on Sunday. Sunday singles combines a unique blend of pressure and fatigue. One veteran suffered from a tangible, visible sign of the blend. Just before his tee shot on the first, Mark Wilson stepped beside the nearest pine tree and disgorged the weekend’s evening events. (see picture) It was a sign to Captain Riddick that Mark Wilson was going to take a little while to ramp up.

On the 9th, Mark awoke. Against one of Team Tucker’s horses (Argabrite), Mark Wilson took a little longer to get going. He and Argabrite halved the front nine when Wilson won the 9th. The par got Mark rolling. He won the 10th and 12th. Argabrite answered by winning the 13th and 14th. Mark then won 15, 16 and then closed Argabrite out with a par on the difficult 17th. It was an amazing back nine between two great competitors. In the end, though, Mark Wilson had given his team much needed 2.5 points. As Captain Riddick hoped, Jeff Wilson jumped on Zimm early and never looked back, winning each side 3&2 and the overall 6&5. It was the most lopsided victory of the matches. The overall deficit between the teams was erased. In fact, the brothers Wilson had given Team Riddick the point lead by winning 5.5 points out of a possible 6 in Matches 8 and 9.

Simply put, in Match 10, Fred Stone was clutch. He took the lead after a birdie (net eagle) on the most difficult 4th hole. He added another win at the next. At the 6th, Carrington salvaged a par after hitting in the water hazard. However, Stone responded by getting up and down from greenside and holding his 2 hole advantage. Carrington birdied the 7th to close the gap to one, but lost the 8th to lose the front 2&1. Carrington again tried to rally by winning the 10th. However, he could never gain the momentum in the match. Carrington’s wonderful bunker save on 13 was erased when Stone jarred a 10 foot birdie putt to capture the hole. Carrington closed the gap to one when the participants reached the 16th tee.

Match 11 found Boone Smith against Tommy DeMint. One could understand if Boone did not play 100% on Sunday because it was his bachelor party weekend as well. However, Boone was not interested in excuses and built a 2 up lead after nine. Tommy quickly erased the advantage by winning the 10th and 11th. Boone fired back with a birdie (net) on the par 5 13th. Boone squandered a great opportunity to push the lead to 2 up on the 14th. Tommy wrestled the momentum when he birdied the 15th. The match was all square heading down the stretch.

A recheck of the scoreboard showed the following as Matches 10 and 11 stood on the 16th tee:

Team Riddick, 18 v. Team Tucker, 13. The race to 20 points was on with 8 points still up for grabs. Team Tucker lead 4 matches, and Team Riddick lead 1 match. Obviously, 3 matches were tied, including the match between Boone and Tommy.

Team Tucker went 1 up in this match when Tommy pared the 16th. Another par on the difficult 17th closed out Boone 2&1. In the same group, Stone closed out Carrington on the 17th as well. Team Tucker was turning the momentum. With two holes to play, the 2008 Pineapple Cup hung in the balance. Team Riddick still had 18 points to compare with Team Tucker’s 17. In Matches 10 and 11, Team Tucker had won enough points to set up the final group matches as decisive.

However, much to the fan’s delight, Matches 12 and 13 were anything but decisive. In Match 12, Buck Williams jumped all over his former teammate, Yates, early building a 3 hole lead at the turn. Buck and Yates have been rival golfers since preschool days. Growing up in North Carolina, both men competed against each other on numerous occasions. Then, at Wake Forest, they continued to compete against each other as teammates. Accordingly, Yates was determined not to let Buck run away and hide. He made a run and cut the lead to 2 after the eleventh hole. Yates and Buck were neck and neck over the backside with the Cup in dangling in the balance.

Match 13 was delightful as well. Captain Riddick’s steady play over the front nine gave him a 4 hole lead at the turn. Captain Tucker birdied (net) the 10th in an effort to stop the bleeding. It worked! Captain Tucker went on to win the 12th, 13th and 14th to square the match. Riddick answer on the 15th with a birdie (net).

When the final grouping arrived on the 16th tee, it was apparent that Team Tucker had the momentum. The key points were going to come from Buck and Yates’ back nine match and from the captains’ overall eighteen hole match. Both matches would see the final tee box. The 2008 Pineapple Cup seemingly would be decided on the final hole.

The Pineapple Cup is awarded to the MVP of the winning team. Beginning Sunday singles play, Wes Argabrite led all participants with 6 points. Carrington led Team Riddick with 5.5 points. However, Jeff Wilson’s sweep in Sunday singles meant he won 7.5 points over the entire weekend and was the top point-getter for Team Riddick. Argabrite only managed .5 points on Sunday, giving the rest of his teammates a chance at the Cup.

Captain Tucker took a step towards putting his hands on the Pineapple Cup when he birdied the 16th. The captains’ match was again all square! Yates also birdied the 16th. Yates went 1 up over Buck after a clutch par on 17. The captains halved the 17th with doubles. Pressure was taking a toll!

Standing on the 18th tee, Team Tucker looked poised to win the Ryder Cup event. Captain Tucker’s team had only 18 points (compared to Team Riddick’s 19 points), but his team had the momentum. The 18th hole at Tidewater is a dogleg left 440 yard par 4 with water running the length of the hole on the right. On Sunday, it was playing into the teeth of a 20 mph wind.

Yates pounded a drive on an aggressive line to cut the dogleg. Feeding off of the vibe from Yates’ drive, Captain Tucker put a drive in the middle of the fairway. Buck split the fairway with his drive as well. Captain Riddick was no so fortunate. His drive drifted right and found the water hazard. Fortunately, a spectator witnessed the ball enter the hazard and Captain Riddick was able to advance it forward. In fact, Captain Riddick’s shot from the hazard was too good. It bounded through the fairway and into a fairway bunker.

The next 5-10 minutes are hard to explain. Despite hitting a great drive, Yates and his team were unable to find his golf ball. None of the spectators saw it and no one heard anything. When officials declared the ball lost, Team Riddick had all but secured a halve in the Yates/Williams back nine match. That halve meant that Team Riddick had reached 19.5 points and could not lose the Ryder Cup event without extra holes. Buck commented on his ability to tame Team Tucker’s best player. “Yates cannot beat me. It’s that simple. I’ve proved it several times this weekend. I told Captain Riddick last night, ‘Put me out against Yates and I guarantee victory.’ I hit the ball terribly most of the weekend, but my putter was brilliant. ‘Drive for show, putt for dough’ they say! What happened on 17 green was unfortunate. I was too jacked up when I missed the putt and took a mighty, angry swing at my ball. Instead, I hit the green. I’m really sorry about it and don’t think it will cheapen my legacy over the weekend.”Yates responded, “Buck’s antics on 17 were uncalled for. I really had to focus to hit my tee shot on 18. I’m not sure what happened to my golf ball on 18. There were several people in the area that should’ve seen it. I’m not saying there was any funny business going on, but it makes you wonder, you know? In any event, I played well all weekend with the exception of the front side today. It is frustrating to know that I could’ve clinched the event for my team on the last. What can I say? I hit a great drive that disappeared into oblivion.”

It was now on Captain Riddick’s shoulders. A halve on the last hole in his match with Captain Tucker would secure the last .5 points of the Ryder Cup event and Jeff Wilson would win the 2008 Pineapple Cup. However, Captain Tucker had other ideas.

Faced with a difficult shot into the wind and under pressure, Captain Tucker played a beautiful mid-iron onto the green for a lengthy birdie putt. Captain Riddick had troubles getting to the green and was left with a 10 foot par putt. Captain Tucker’s lag putt was not spectacular, but it was close enough to force Captain Riddick to make. He conceded the hole when his putt missed. After 72 holes, the 2008 Pineapple Cup was not decided!

SUDDEN DEATH:

The participants and captains rode out to the par 5 16th hole for a sudden death decision. Earlier, officials determined that Captain Riddick would not get any strokes on the 16th in the event of a sudden death playoff. Both captains were understandably nervous. Captain Tucker won the toss and was first to play.

His usually fluid, long swing was a bit quicker and the ball sailed high and left, but remained playable. It was Captain Riddick's turn to feel thebutterflies. He answered the call and hit a good drive that faded near thepines down the right side of the fairway. Captain Tucker was away. Hissecond shot drifted right and found a hidden water hazard. Captain Riddickdrilled his 4-wood right down the middle, leaving himself a comfortable 120yards to the flag. It was all Captain Tucker could do to advance the ballfrom the mucky hazard. It was a good shot under the circumstances, but TeamTucker needed some help. Captain Riddick would not provide that help,though, and he put his approach 25 feet to the right of hole. His opponentlooking at a birdie attempt, Captain Tucker needed to stick his 85yard approach and set up a decent par putt. Unfortunately, Captain Tuckercaught his wedge thin and the ball careened into the back greenside bunker.After a bunker shot, Captain Tucker was left with 15 feet for bogey.Captain Riddick's birdie putt rolled some 4feet past the cup, setting up a testy left to right par putt. He would nothave to putt it though as Captain Tucker missed the bogey effort andconceded the sudden death hole. It was sweet victory at last for Captain Riddick in the matches.

And, for Jeff Wilson, it meant his name would beetched in gold in the coveted Pineapple Cup. He had the following to say: “This is the greatest day in my life. Ranks right up there with the day I became a doctor’s husband. Thankfully, I have a doctor’s income to support my trip to the Pineapple Cup for years to come. I look forward to defending next year.”

After the celebration, the captains addressed the world from the press tent:

Captain Riddick (on captaining the winning team): “Nothing could be finer than a victory in South Carolina! It was an epic struggle between these two evenly-matched teams. Not sure either captain could’ve predicted that extra holes would be needed, though. Captains don’t do it alone. I had great help from my team in strategy sessions each night and mornings.”

Captain Tucker (on captaining in a losing effort): “First, let me apologize to my teammates. I feel terrible that I let them down. Not sure I could’ve done anything different in terms of pairings, etc. There is a loser in every sporting event. Just happened to be us this year. My visor goes off to Captain Riddick and his team. They played well. Overall, though, I really enjoyed being a captain. It was challenging, just not rewarding this year.”

Captain Riddick (on how close it was): “Whew, it was close wasn’t it? (laughing) It’s funny to look back on the various shots and momentum swings over the weekend and think how important they are now. One putt here or there made the difference. My team made a boatload of putts down the stretch of key matches on Friday and Saturday. Needless to say, in retrospect, they were all huge! I’m sure Captain Tucker feels the same way.”

Captain Tucker (on how close it was): “I had a feeling that this year’s event was going to be close. We didn’t put opponents away in a few matches. Came back to bite us, didn’t it?”

Captain Riddick (on Jeff Wilson’s play): “I’m thrilled for Jeff to win the 2008 Pineapple Cup. He was steady throughout the weekend. Although he swept Zimm in the singles, in my opinion, his win shows that he is a great four ball teammate as well. I’d pick him again!”

Captain Tucker (on Jeff Wilson’s play): “I’m happy for him. He’ll enjoy having the trophy on his mantle for a while. You know I had it on my mantle all last year. As far as his play, I’m not sure I saw him hit one shot.”

The 2008 Pineapple Cup proved to be drama-filled from the initial tee shot until the very last putt in sudden death. One captain felt sheer jubilation. The other felt great pain. Only a glimmering $10 vase attached to a block of wood could bring grown men to such excitement. Congratulations again to Jeff Wilson, possessor of the Pineapple Cup!!