2008 Dentonia Open Results

Do you think Sergio Garcia has felt the pressure of being "the best player to never win a major"?  Well, that's nothing compared to the stress that winless Bernie McGarva has faced every year at the first tee at Dentonia.  ("On the tee, from Toronto, Bernie McGarva!"  You know Ivor Robson's chirpy voice ...).   Would this be Bernie's year?  

Golf fans were lucky that the Open was played at all this year:  John was getting ready to leave for a second honeymoon (and 20th Anniversary) in Scotland; Bernie and Bill wanted to get out of town for some R&R (hence the 10:08 tee time); and Geoff had just driven in from Baton Rouge the day before.  The weather looked threatening, but after a few sprinkles turned sunny (but windy).

Bill started quickly and was one over after five, but crashed to a 39 on the back, not making a par after the 8th.  John, perhaps distracted by thoughts of the highlands, started slowly, but was the back nine victor.  Geoff was a little erratic but shaved 14 strokes off his score from the previous tournament, serving notice for next time.  And then there was Bernie, the BPNWM.  He shook off two sixes and was otherwise a model of consistency, pulling away down the stretch and claiming that coveted first major.

In the end, it might have been Chris Evert's autograph on Bernie's hat (signed at Royal Birkdale, at that other Open, where her hubby Greg Norman made an improbable run), that made the difference.  As Bill slipped the green jacket onto Bernie's shoulders, Geoff provided an eloquent tribute:

The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here;
while it can never forget what Bernie did here.

Hole - Yards - Name John
Geoff
 Bill
Bernie
1 - 102 - Putter's Nightmare
4
6
3
4
2 - 108 - Fox Run
4
6
4
4
3 - 103 - Edgehill
4
4
3
4
4 - 110 - Cliff Hanger
5
4
3
2
5 - 123 - The Willow
3
5
3
3
6 - 169 - River's Edge
5
5
4
6
7 - 100 - Death Valley
4
5
4
4
8 - 97 - All Carry
4
7
3
3
9 - 129 - Tree Tops
6
4
5
3
OUT
39
46
32
33
10 - 113 - Short Poke
3
4
5
4
11 - 185 - President's Choice
6
6
4
5
12 - 102 - Hidden Target
4
5
4
3
13 - 151 - The Challenger
4
4
5
6
14 - 105 - High Flyer
3
5
4
4
15 - 104 - No Relief
3
4
4
3
16 - 139 - Bunker Hill
4
4
4
3
17 - 127 - Homeward Bound
4
4
5
4 
18 - 109 - Last Chance
3
4
4
3
IN
34
40
39
35
TOTAL
73
86
71
68
Birdies/Pars/Skins
0/5/3
0/0/0
0/5/6
1/7/7