Mike and Su Saperstein's Wedding Tournament came to a thrilling conclusion as a gust of wind blew in Ted O'Donoghue's putt on 18 to win the event for the team of O'Donoghue and Rick Muise.
In honor of Mike and Su's upcoming nuptuals, a special 2-person-per-team scramble was held at Champions Gate Golf Club just outside of Orlando. Heavy winds made conditions difficult despite warm weather, but all 6 teams enjoyed the day and battled it out.
At the turn the team of Ricky Saperstein and Stuart Roos held a narrow lead with a stroke score of 37. Muise and O'Donoghue were two shots back, and the teams of Eric Lowrey and Hal Zemel, Ed Schroder and Ray Actis, and Bill Secor and Matthew McLaren were all tied for third at 41. Mike Saperstein and Suzanne Saperstein, the guests of honor, trailed the field with a 44.
On the back Ricky Saperstein and Roos maintained solid play, but couldn't convert the key shots to increase their lead. Meanwhile Muise and O'Donoghue converted a birdie on #12 after driving the green, and the battle was on!
Ricky Sapertein and Roos finished their round with a total score of 75, and waited for O'Donoghue and Muise, playing in the final group, to finish.
O'Donoghue stood over a 15-foot putt needing it for the win, as all the other players stood around and watched. The putt bent, bent, and bent some more, before finally coming to rest on the edge of the cup. A huge groan was let out from the gallery. Seconds later, a gust of wind pushed the ball the final inch into the cup to a huge and amazed cheer from the onlookers! That gave the win to O'Donoghue and Muise in extremely dramatic fashion.
Ricky Saperstein and Roos finished second, a shot behind. Mike Saperstein and Su Saperstein rallied to a final score of 81 and third place overall. Ed Schroder and Actis finished fourth at 82, Lowrey and Zemel fifth at 84, and Secor and McLaren rounded out the field with a score of 90.
