Eric Lowrey survived both a driving rainstorm and a furious Hal Zemel comeback today to successfully capture Championship Cup and become the new #1 Ranked Player!!
For Lowrey, these are two long-awaited moments; it is the first time he has earned an undisputed #1 Ranking since January 2, 1997. And it is the first time his name will be etched on the Championship Cup since 1994!!
To set the stage: Mike Saperstein took the first match on a cold December 26 at Golf Club of Miami -- but it would turn out to be his only win of the series. Eric Lowrey won that afternoon at Crandon Park Golf Couse to take the overall lead. On December 27, Hal Zemel sprinted to a victory at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie to grab the top spot. Lowrey answered on December 28, winning a dramatic match by 1 point over both opponents at Inverrary to regain the overall lead. Hal Zemel kept his Cup hopes alive with a win at Bonaventure on December 29. But he needed a win in the final match of the series to do it.
On December 31, rain came down all day and hopes of playing a 1PM scheduled match look bleak. As if scripted, the rains slowed a bit just before 1PM and the match commenced at the players' favorite Florida course, the TPC at Heron-Bay.
The level of play was very high despite very wet conditions. Both Lowrey and Zemel made par 4 on the second, then all three players made par on #3. The rain started coming down hard shortly after that, but the match continued. Saperstein made a par 3 on #6 to take the lead, but the match remained tight. Finally, on the 7th hole, the rain stopped -- for the moment.
Lowrey put together a tremendous run right after the turn -- par 4 on #10, par 3 on #11, then par 4 on #12 -- despite the winds picking up significantly and the temperature begining to drop. The he delivered his best -- a spectacular approach for an easy birdie on #13 and a huge lead.
Then the rains came -- and came hard -- yet Zemel refused to go away. The weather got cold and windy, extremely nasty, yet Zemel showed incredible determination. In the worst conditions of ANY Championship Cup round ever played, Zemel charged with an unbelieveable-considering-the-conditions effective par 5 on #14, and then somehow another on #16. He was within 1.5 points!! But with extreme cold and rain finally taking their toll, Saperstein and Lowrey won the final two holes, ending Zemel's charge and Cup dreams. Eric Lowrey had won the match and clinched the Cup!!
Despite the wicked conditions for the final round, the level of play was very high throughout the competition, perhaps the highest in Championship Cup history.
