2013 PDL XI at The Greenbrier: West 44 Edges Snead & Co. 15.5-13.5*
Tournament Summary
West 44-15.5
Snead & Co. – 13.5
Collars Up – 10.75
Closing Time – 5.75
Jamie Rankin – MVP
Clay Thomson – Captain
Wes Battle – Spirit Award Winner
Bill Wainscott – Wooden Spoon
Michael Aide – Chairman
The Ponce De Leon Invitational was held May 29-June 1st, 2013 at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. This was the second time the Greenbrier has hosted the Ponce –the only other venue to hold the tournament more than once is Sea Island (3x). The tournament featured the Old White Course, the home of the PGA Tour’s Greenbrier Classic, for three rounds. Michael Aide chaired the event, where, for the first time, the tournament was contested over 5 tournament rounds. (2 four balls, 1 Pinehurst Alternate Shot, 1 Captain’s Choice and 1 Singles match play)
This year welcomed back Richard Massie to the Ponce—this will be his 8th— and includes one newcomer: Kirk Bedell. In a Ponce first: the Greenbrier’s head professional, Jamie Hamilton joined West 44 as a last week replacement for Brooks Brown, who had to withdraw due to an injury.
The winning team was comprised of Jamie Hamilton (1st title in 1st try), Jamie Rankin (3rd title), Henry Oakey (1st title in 3 tries) & Clay Thomson (1st title in 7 attempts).
In the best match of the final round, Jeremy Bird took a 1-hole lead onto the Old White’s par-3 finishing hole when a mountain gale blew 30-40 MPH winds over the course for 15 minutes directly into the players on 18. With Hamilton in with a par, Bird needed to roll in a 9 foot par putt to win the match 1 up and force the first team playoff in Ponce history with the top two teams ties at 14.5 points. When the putt was halfway to the hole, Bird’s caddy blurted out, “Great up and down to win the match.” But as the putt approached the hole, it dove left to narrowly miss. With the match halved, West 44 would win the Ponce by the tiniest of margins.
“Having the opportunity to host the Ponce for the second time was truly a privilege for all of us at The Greenbrier. For me personally, getting an opportunity to compete was an honor and test the likes of which I haven’t experienced in some time. Playing alongside this group of passionate, competitive and fun loving golfers for three days was an experience I will remember for years. We see many golf groups here at The Greenbrier but an event like the Ponce is truly unique. This group honors the history of the game, cherishes the opportunity for honest competition and celebrates friendship and brotherhood through the game of golf.
Knowing that it is no surprise they have found themselves at The Greenbrier. Charles Blair Macdonald, the patriarch of American golf course architecture and first U.S. Amateur Champion, and Sam Snead, the game’s most successful and likely most competitive golfer ever, literally and figuratively established golf at The Greenbrier on these same principles. We wish the Ponce good luck defending American soil at Sea Island versus the team from the U.K. and look forward to hosting them again in the coming years.”
– Jamie Hamilton, Head Pro at the Greenbrier and 2013 PDL Champion
Schedule of Events
Wednesday, May 29 – Practice Round & Opening Ceremony
Thursday, May 30-Friday, May 31 – Competitive Rounds
Saturday, June 1 – Singles & Champions Dinner
The Teams of Ponce XI
West 44 – Jamie Hamilton, Jamie Rankin, Henry Oakey & Clay Thomson* (15.5 points)
Snead & Co. – Jeremy Bird, Neil Thomson*, Michael Aide & Kirk Bedell (13.5)
Collars Up – Muscoe Garnett, John Klim*, Clark Coulbourn & Dick Massie (10.75)
Closing Time – Scott Winn, Michael Palmore, Wes Battle & Bill Wainscott* (5.75)
* denotes Team Captain
Photos
2013 Photo Album (Click Here to view or download all 121 Photos on Google +)
44 West Team Captain Clay Thomson talks to the group at the Ponce Opening Ceremony at the Greenbrier.
The boys of Ponce XI at the Opening Ceremony – Where’s the Toaster?
Chairman Michael Aide and Chairman Emeritus Neil Thomson leaving the Opening Ceremony.
Wes Battle and C. Thomson talk about their upcoming Singles Grudge Match (They halved in 2011 at the Greenbrier)
At the completion of the Round 4 Captains Choice…
Saturday Singles – Bird vs. Hamilton was the match of the weekend and Klim defeated Winn 3&2.
Saturday Singles – Ponce Rookie Kirk Bedell beat Bill Wainscott 6 &4 and Battle dispatched C. Thomson 7&5.
Saturday Singles – MVP Jamie Rankin defeated N. Thomson 3&1 and Muscoe Garnett overcame a 3 hole deficit to beat Michael Palmore.
Chairman Aide and N. Thomson before the Champions Dinner
Jeremy Bird and Scotty Winn
Henry Oakey (nice suit) and MVP Rankin
UVA Zeta Psi boys (sans Klim)
West 44 Champions
The tally – thanks Jamie!
Saturday Singles – Michael Aide with his first singles win over Clark Coulbourn 2&1 and Henry Oakey beat Dick Massie 5&4.
Muscie chowing down with Clark Coulbourn, Scott Wnn, John Klim and Dick Massie
Keynote Speaker Robert Harris addresses the Ponce Opening Ceremony on some tales about Sam Snead’s times at the Greenbrier with Chairman Aide’s granddad.
Charity
The Greenbrier Hotel United Fund
The Greenbrier employees have been extremely hospitable to the Ponce in 2011 and 2013 and we want to show our sincere appreciation by donating $1,600 to this charitable cause. We are thrilled to be donating alongside the employees of the Greenbrier. The Greenbrier employees raise monies throughout the year via raffles, drawings and more, and the Ponce is proud to add to this effort. Each holiday season, the Board of Directors distributes the funds to local food banks and other local causes, thereby helping the neediest of the needy. The Greenbrier is a major employment center for this area of West Virginia and we hope that people that are less fortunate will appreciate this contribution. We are thankful that we are able to visit a beautiful place like the Greenbrier and equally as thankful we are able to give back to the local community.