By Staff
GET IN THERE – Robert Sanford, representing Briarwood Country Club in match play with Northwood Country Club, putts on the second green at Briarwood Country Club Sunday afternoon. Photo by Carisa McCain/The Meridian Star
By Jeff Byrd / staff writer
Sept. 30, 2002
Home course advantage proved to be big for the yellow-clad Briarwood Country Club team here in the final day of "The Cup Matches" on Sunday afternoon at the Briarwood course.
The Briarwood dozen won 11 of the 12 individual matches against the Northwood Country Club team on Sunday to coast to the first-ever cup-play event matching teams from Meridian's two country clubs.
The Briarwood team had entered Sunday's play with a 4-2 advantage having won four of the six matches in four-ball play at Northwood. With 11 wins on Sunday, Briarwood ended on top 15-3.
On Sunday, with wins in the first five singles matches, Briarwood secured the Cup.
Still, there was some good golf played even with the Cup decided. The shot of the day came on the 18th and final hole when Billy McWilliams chipped in from 30-feet to win 1-up over David Ray in the day's best match.
The other 18-hole match saw Willie Frazier of Briarwood edge Kelly Swain with a par putt on the par-four 18th. Frazier's 1-up win was Briarwood's 11th of the day.
Northwood's lone win came from arguably the city's top golfer in Judge Little. The former LSU standout beat Robert Sanford 4-and-3.
Briarwood's early run was boosted by Jack Combest beating Northwood's Eddie Brown 4-and-3. Benji Baskin downed Alex Weddington 2-and-1.
Meridian Community College golfer Daniel Boles edged Johnny Dement 3-and-2. Clinton Hales, another MCC golfer, beat Chuck Rea 5-and-4.
Colton Tisdale edged out Northwood's Jimmy Carle 2-and-1 while Rex Gentry beat Lamar School coach Doyle Bryan 3-and-2.
Joey Mabry of Briarwood took a 3-and-2 win over Earl Aycock. Tony Polizzi beat Ed Broome 6-and-5 and Bruce Clopton downed Scott Morgan 3-and-2.
Despite getting beat, both Ray and Morgan like the idea of having the competition between the two clubs.
Combest, of the Briarwood team, also liked the competition.
Briarwood pro Rob McGraw said the event should become a staple of the fall.