LONNIE KNOWLES
The board of director definitely made the right call by starting the league a month early this year. The unusually warm weather in the beginning of the year and getting out front of the other Leagues who have not started yet all have contributed to record breaking participation. The buzz is in the air about the Houston Golf League its live scoring has given our league a big advantage over the competition. We need to keep the momentum going and continue to grow. We are always open to suggestions and comments to help improve the league.
This tournament at the turn was pretty much Chris Sawyer. He was playing well and up 3 shots over Craig Colbert, but only one par on the back nine mixed with a triple on 13 and a pair of doubles on 14 and 16 turned his sunshine to rain. Giving him a 3rd place tie with Gabe Ramos who finished tied for 2nd at the Glenbrook Open. Ramos frustration is a fever pitch high by not winning in the past two years.
Going into 15 Colbert was on top of the leader board with Lonnie Knowles heating up on the back. Lonnie released the hounds and Colbert could hear them barking. Lonnie had closed the lead to one shot. On 16 Lonnie’s hounds had chased Colbert up a tree giving him a double bogey, and on 17 he lost another shot. Colbert entered the clubhouse in second place and serval bite marks on him too cause it has been awhile since the 2015 Player of The Year Runner-Up has won. Giving Lonnie his second Clear Creek Championship in the past 3 years. Lonnie again won on his strengths of his short game mainly the putter. His 26 putts was two putts better than Craig Colbert and that was the difference in the match and 7 putts better than the rest of the field. Which is an incredible stat. Mr. Knowles Congratulations on your career number 7 with puts you in a tie for 2nd all-time with Mark Ripley, Sammy Roberson and Hal Gregory. You might want to kept both eyes on that putter I have watched them fly away before. Crenshaw in 1990, Stuart Apppleby after firing a 59 in 2011 and lately Jordan Speth last year. Stay Vigilant!
As I ponder and contemplate what to write on this week watching Sport Center, Fox News or Evening Local News. Trying to find something interesting, funny or entertaining that may relate to our golf league nothing really grabbed my attention, so after a few days goes by I needed to find something. I posted some picks of the winners of the tournaments Lonnie and Leslie, other people starting posting and congratulating them. There was one guy making negative post and saying bad things about the league. None of my guys were listing nothing but great admiration and positive post about Lonnie and Leslie winning. What I am trying to say we got a great bunch of guys who I am proud to call my friends and to all the haters back the fuck up, you can’t come between us. Thanks for the support! (OK I FEEL BETTER) This is one of the very reason I created the league, to make an environment where people can come together in the golfing community an bond under one umbrella. Just go out and play golf and have fun with the pressure of the chance of winning, competition on victory, and the right to say I was the best that day. I want you on the number one tee box to be excited and nervous, with your blood pressure raised, looking at the leader board and you see your name on top wondering if you can handle the pressure. Do you want the pressure? Do you?
Leslie Jones, Vincent Gilmore, Jarrod Ballou and new comer Mike Ruiz were all right in that atmosphere, sweaty palms, raised heartbeat and adrenaline flowing that could bust a pipe or easily cause a golf swing to go arise. Jarrod Ballou was looking to defend his 2016 title on a course that fits his game. Hole 11 triple bogey toppled his chances and gave him a forth moneyless finish. Vincent Gilmore was in the driver’s seat going into 14, he forget to buckle up and double bogeyed on 14 and 15 to send his aberration of back to back victories, crashing into the fence of what if. That left new comer Mike Ruiz and the League feistiest player Leslie Jones. Mike let the pressure get to him right off the bat on hole 1 with a double bogey, but started to settle down around the 6 hole where he was the best player the rest of the way in. He had to make up eight shots and Mr. Jones was not having that. Jones was focused and talking a lot smack especially to Vincent, in a postgame interview Vincent admits that Jones may have thrown him off a little bit in his game by getting in his head. Jones is a hustler and has been around the block, no way was he going to let Rookie Mike Ruiz back in the match. Jones earned this match by beating the defending Champion Jarrod Ballou, the last tournament champion Vincent Gilmore and new up coming Rookie Mike Ruiz. Congratulations Mr. Leslie Jones you are the 2017 Clear Creek 2017 Invitational Champion.