Records
The Ponce De Leon Invitational
Hole-In-One
Lawrence Thomson 2006
Jeremy Bird 2018
Best Team in Tournament History
Black Sunday 2006 (Bird, Coulbourn, Palmore, Wainscott)
Most Team Points, 18 out of a possible 20 Points
Notes (through 2018):
- Neil Thomson is the Chairman Emeritus with a new rotating Chairman each year. 81 players have competed in at least one PDL.
- N. Thomson, Jamie Rankin, & Muscoe Garnett are the only three to participate in all 20 tournaments.
- J. Bird (7 for 18) and W. Battle (7 for 17) have won the most Titles.
- J. Bird has finished worse than second only twice in 18 tournaments. (2017 & 2018)
- N. Thomson (2008-10), J. Bird (2014-16) and C. Coulbourn (2004-06) won a record 3 Ponce titles in a row.
- W. Battle (2016/2019), J. Rankin (2013/2017), J. Bird (2004/2015) and M. Palmore (2006/2012) are the 2x MVPs.
- N. Thomson (2003 & 2021), M. Palmore (2008/2014) and W. Battle (2012/2018) are the only 2x Chairmen.
- Wes Battle has the most Captaincies (7) and Captain Wins (4).
- Wes Battle, Scott Winn and Jamie Rankin are the only 2x Spirit Winners.
Wooden Spoon Hall of Shame
Worst Teams in Tournament History - Traditional 4 Team Format
1. Flying Wasps (2006) 4.5 points: Winn, McAllister, Vinson, LT Thompson
T2. Team 30305 (2007) 5 Points: R. Massie, H. Massie, Garnett, Vinson
T2. Seaside Sandbaggers (2010) 5 points: Winn, H. Massie, M. Aide, Vinson
T2. Red Numbers (2011) 5 points: N. Thomson, R. Massie, W. Battle, Vinson
(Out of a possible 20 Points)
Ponce De Leon International Matches
Most Team Points in a single tournament
T1. Dom Clive (2018), Wes Battle & Michael Aide (2014) – 4.0 (4-0-0)
T4. Brooke Short (2018), Ian Thompson & Michael Palmore (2012) – 3.5 (3-0-1)
Least Team Points in a single tournament
1. D. Gilbane (2018), B. Wainscott (2018), J. Gibbs (2018), K. Bedell (2014): 0 pts. in 4 matches
T5. R. Finch (2012) and M. Aide (2012): 0.5 pts. in 4 matches (2012)
Most Team Points in all International Matches
T1. I. Thompson & W. Battle: 6 (3 matches)
3. Palmore 5.25 (3)
4. M. Garnett 5 (3)
5. J. Bates 4.75 (2)
Best Overall Match Record (Played in at least 2)
1. M. Garnett 8-1-3 (.8125)
2. W. Battle 9-3 (.750)
3. J. Bates 6-4-1 (.591)
4. I. Thompson 8-6-1 (.567)
Most Ponce International Matches Played
T1. 8 U.S. Players: N. Thomson, W. Battle, J. Bird, J. Rankin, C. Thomson, M. Garnett, M. Palmore & The Toaster (All 4)
T1. 2 U.K. Players: D. Clive & B. Short (All 4)
Least Team Points in one tournament
1. B. Wainscott (2018), D. Gilbane (2018) & K. Bedell (2014): 0 pts. in 4 matches
T2. R. Finch (2012) & M. Aide (2012): 0.5 pts. in 4 matches
Player Stats
Click Here to view full page All-Time Player Stats
Awards
The Ponce De Leon Invitational
The Fountain of Youth Trophy: The Youth Cup, a replica of the Claret Jug, is given to the winning team Captain. That team possesses the Cup until the next year’s PDL. The winning team is responsible for engraving winning team player names / year on the trophy prior to the next Invitational. Consumption of spirits from the Jug is encouraged.
MVP is voted via secret ballot all players. Open discussion at the beginning of the meal is encouraged, so that voting members are made aware of individual match records and noteworthy performances. The MVP trophy is a replica of the Ryder Cup. The MVP is responsible for engraving his name on the Cup for the following year.
The Ted Oakey Spirit Award is presented to the player who best exemplifies team spirit, sportsmanship, and leadership. The winner is the man who best embodies the Ponce, both on and off the course. The players are provided the opportunity (by written, secret ballot) to nominate whom they think should win this award, and the Chairman Emeritus and Event Chairman take these nominations under advisement and consider them strongly.
The Wooden Spoon is awarded to the player who clearly demonstrates his commitment to horrible, losing golf over the course of the matches. Typically, this prestigious award is given to the player who scores the least points in the tournament, but the discretion is left to the voter to consider other behavior.
The 10-Year Patch is awarded to any player who competes in his tenth PDL and can be fastened proudly to the Blue blazer of his choice.
The Wager: In keeping with the spirit of the Ponce, the four teams play for the Champions Dinner and its pre-agreed price. The winning team enjoys the Champions Dinner at the expense of the 3rd and 4
th place teams. The 2
nd place team pays their own tab. All tournament awards are recognized at the Champions Dinner.
Ponce De Leon International Matches
Ponce de Leon Matches Trophy: the conquistador helmet is given to the winning team. That team possesses the Helmet until the next Matches. The winning team is responsible for engraving winning team player names / year on the Helmet prior to the next Match. In the event of a tie, the team that owns the cup would retain it. Consumption of spirits from the Helmet is encouraged.
The British MVP is voted via secret ballot by British team only. Open discussion at the beginning of the meal is encouraged, so that voting members are made aware of individual match records and noteworthy performances. The British MVP receives a set of five hickory-shaft clubs in an old Tom Morris bag from the Ponce’s charitable gift to St. Andrews’ Keepers of the Green foundation, which is passed down to future MVPs. The inaugural winner, Nick Hyde, received a Lifetime membership to the “Keepers of the Green.”
The Davis Love III American MVP Award is
voted via secret ballot by American team only. Like his counterpart, the American MVP receives five hickory-shaft clubs in an old Tom Morris bag. The inaugural winner, Michael Palmore, received a Lifetime membership to the “Keepers of the Green.”
The Ted Oakey Spirit Award is awarded to the American player who best exemplifies team spirit, sportsmanship and leadership of Ted Oakey. The Ted Oakey winner is the American who best embodies the Ponce, both on and off the course. The British players are provided the opportunity (by written, secret ballot) to nominate whom they think should win this American award, and the Chairman Emeritus, Event Chairman and team captains take these nominations under advisement and consider them strongly.
Dedication of the Award at the 2014 PDL in Sea Island
The Tony Jacklin Spirit Award is
awarded to the British player who best exemplifies team spirit, sportsmanship, and leadership. The Tony Jacklin winner is the British man who best embodies the Ponce, both on and off the course. The American players are provided the opportunity (by written, secret ballot) to nominate whom they think should win this British award, and the Chairman Emeritus, Event Chairman and team captains take these nominations under advisement and consider them strongly.
Why Tony Jacklin?
- English professional golfer who was the most successful British golfer of his generation;
- His two majors were the Open Championship (1969) and the U.S. Open (1970). He was the only European winner of the U.S. Open in an 84 year span (1926-2009);
- His 1968 Jacksonville Open win was first win by a European player on the U.S. Tour since the 1920s;
- Seven-time playing member in the Ryder Cup (1967-1979);
- Played vs. Jack Nicklaus in one of the most famous Ryder Cup matches of all time - the “Concession” at Muirfield in 1969, when Jacklin eagled 17 to square with the match with the Golden Bear. Then Nicklaus conceded the 3 foot par putt on 18 to halve the match, and tie the Cup. Sportsmanship at its finest from both men;
- Four-time consecutive non-playing Ryder Cup Captain (1983-1989). In 1985, he led his team to the first European victory in 28 years, and in 1987, the first European Ryder Cup victory ever on American soil;
- And he hit the first ever hole-in-one to be televised live in Britain in 1967 (No. 16 at Royal St. George’s in 1967).
The Wooden Spoon is awarded to the member of each team who clearly demonstrates his commitment to horrible, losing golf over the course of the matches. Typically, this prestigious award is given to the member of each team who scores the least points in the tournament, but other behavior may be considered.
The Wager: In keeping with the spirit of the Ponce, the two teams play for the Champions Dinner and its pre-agreed price. The winning team enjoys the Saturday Champions Dinner at the expense of the losing team. In the event of a tie, each team pays for their own fare. All tournament awards are recognized at the Champions Dinner.
The “Champagne” Tony Lema Spirit Award: was awarded to the American player at PDL X in St. Andrews who best exemplified team spirit, sportsmanship, and leadership. The “Champagne” Tony Lema winner was the American man who best exemplified the Ponce, both on and off the course. This award was replaced by the Ted Oakey Spirit Award Winner. The British players were provided the opportunity (by written, secret ballot) to nominate whom they think should win this American award, and the Chairman Emeritus, Event Chairman and team captains take these nominations under advisement and consider them strongly.
Why “Champagne Tony Lema”?
- American professional golfer who played in two Ryder Cups 1963 and 1965). His 9-1-1 record is best of all-time (for those who played in a minimum of 2 Cups);
- In his first ever appearance at the Open Championship (1965), he won at St. Andrews, beating Jack Nicklaus by five shots. Despite only practicing for 9 holes, one of his keys to victory was using British caddy legend, Tip Anderson (a regular British caddy for Arnold Palmer who was not competing that year);
- In 1957, he won the Imperial Valley Open in legendary fashion. Upon completing his final round, he went in to the clubhouse and drank three highballs. He then realized his score held up to get in to a sudden-death playoff, where the loose Lema went out and won on the second playoff hole;
- Early in his career, he struggled on Tour to where his debt reached over $11,000 in October of 1962 (his struggles somewhat due to a raucous, off the course lifestyle). On the eve of the Orange County Open, he promised the press corps he would buy them all champagne if he won. Lema won that tournament, and in fact went on to win 12 times in the next four years (finishing second 11 more times, including losing by one to the Golden Bear at the 1963 Masters);
- Lema’s life was cut tragically short in a 1966 plane crash, along with his wife. They were flying with a few others from Firestone CC in Akron, Ohio to the Little Buick Open outside of Chicago. The plane ran out of fuel and went down