A monthly feature recapping all Lefty Golfers Association events
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JULY 1, 2006 - LAFLEUR
HALE ERWIN NORMAN
DR. MARIO BLONDIN
PAUL HORNSBY III
46-45--- 91
51-47--- 98
52-51--- 103
After a rainy first three months to the season, the LGA geared into catch-up mode, commencing the month of July with a
scheduled doubleheader weekend, the first leg of which was held at Lafleur. Developing a reputation as a fair weather golfer,
Hale Erwin Norman's head emerged from the sand on this ideal day for golf long enough to fire a 91 and take a seven shot win
to the clubhouse, his second tournament victory in three events. Norman's round included his second birdie of the year thanks
to a lenghy putt on the par-3 11th, as well as a beer hole victory on 17. Finishing second in the all lefty field was Dr. Mario
Blondin. The doctor fell back on the front nine after scoring 10-over through holes 4, 5 and 6, but settled down to pass Hornsby
for the quasi-prestigious second place spot. His 33 putt performance was, sadly, one of his finest days on the greens so far
this season. Rounding out the field yet again was Paul Hornsby III. Participating in his 142nd consecutive LGA event, you
would think that Hornsby would finally be warmed up. And to his credit, 'Da Turd' did not score higher than seven on any hole
for the round. Still, he failed to break one hundred once again, mostly due to continued difficulties around and on the green. In
keeping with lefthanded tradition on this Canada Day, our golfing heroes drank heavily during the hours following the event.
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Photos not available
JULY 2, 2006 - BELLEVUE (BELLEVUE COURSE)
PAUL HORNSBY III
*FRED CUPHOLDERS
CHRIS 9-IRON KID
48-53--- 101
49-53--- 102
55-52--- 107
More July type weather was in store as the LGA completed a doubleheader weekend with its first visit to Bellevue of the
season. The results were somewhat surprising, as Paul Hornsby III built a seven shot lead thorugh 16, appearing destined to
break 100, only to finish with consecutive quadruple bogeys and a disappointing 101 but still a one stroke victory over heavily
favoured rightie Fred Cupholders. For Hornsby, the last two holes were indeed adventurous after what was probably his best
golf of the year up to that point. His double hit around the green on 18 (after hitting at the clubhouse, again) vaulted 'Da Turd'
over the century mark. As for runner up Cupholders, Fred was very much in contention late into the round, until his 9 on the
par-5 16th, after which point he was visibly discouraged. Cupholders failed to score a single par for the round. Finishing in
third place was Chris The 9-Iron Kid, making a rare appearance. After a front nine 55 which featured a 10 on the par-4 7th,
9-Iron sort of rallied, finishing only 6 shots off the pace. His four-putt seven on the par-4 10th was also forgettable, despite the
reminder here. In total Chris needed 39 putts to complete the round, which was not much worse than Fred's 38. The win was
Hornsby's first of the year and first since July 24, 2005. "It seems like much, much longer", Hornsby commented after the event.
Photos not available
JULY 8, 2006 - DORVAL (OAKVILLE COURSE)
THE 2006 LEFTY CLASSIC
HALE ERWIN NORMAN (Playoff)
*FRED CUPHOLDERS
DR. MARIO BLONDIN
CHRIS 9-IRON KID
PAUL HORNSBY III
*PIETRO LEWINSKY
50-54--- 104
47-57--- 104
52-57--- 109
53-57--- 110
59-58--- 117
75-66--- 141
The LGA held its first major tournament of 2006 at one of the toughest courses on the LGA Tour, the Oakville course at Dorval.
Once again, as is usually the case when the LGA hits the Oakville layout, the course emerged victorious, and this time in a big
way. But despite the big numbers there was no lack of drama, as Hale Erwin Norman and Fred Cupholders duked it out in a
seesaw battle, ending up tied through 18. Hale Erwin Norman would win after the first playoff hole, taking the first leg of the
2006 Lefty Slam. In fine LGA tradition, Norman took the event without scoring a single par. In fact, Norman had a three shot
lead with three to play until his 7 on the par-3 beer hole 16th would put Cupholders back in contention. Hale was only retuning
the favour by Fred on the previous hole, the par-4 15th, where Cupholders posted an eight. Cupholders has now lost three
LGA major tournaments in playoffs. Hanging on to third place was Dr. Mario Blondin, visibly tired from yet another night of
surgery (or at the very least the administration of local anaesthetics). His 109 was quite respectable, all things considered.
Chris The 9-Iron Kid finished next in line, one stroke behind Blondin in fourth position. 9-Iron was not too far from contention
throughout the event, although he didn't know it until after the event was done. He was particuarly disappointed with his 3-putt
bogey on the beer hole 16th. Finishing fifth and posting another dissapointing score was Paul Hornsby III. Coming off a victory
the previous week, Hornsby was confident going in, but would finish nowhere near the podium. For the record, Hornsby has
never played well at Dorval during the entirety of his less-than-illustrious career. 'Da Turd's round, however, would not be
nearly as difficult as the one played by Pietro Lewinsky, visiting Oakville for the first time ever. Lewinsky played four holes in
double-digits over the front nine, and five overall, en route to a 141 and his highest score in several seasons. Pietro scored 75
on the front nine, and included among his accomplishments a double-hit. Lewinsky revealed that after his 136 debacle at
Lafleur on June 17th, he considered giving up the sport, but today's timely bogey on 18 should ensure his return, at least for
the Masters on August 20th. Noticeably absent from the field was defending champion Costa Doinbiznis, for whom the
tournament was delayed two weeks in order for him to defend. However, in a situation allowing a rare glimpse into the
importance of the LGA, he didn't show up anyway.
Photos not available
JULY 22, 2006 - CAUGHNAWAGA
HALE ERWIN NORMAN
DR. MARIO BLONDIN
CHRIS 9-IRON KID
PAUL HORNSBY III
43-49--- 92
48-49--- 97
49-52--- 101
54-48--- 102
After yet another rained out weekend (only nine holes were played at Saint-Jerome last Saturday), the LGA returned once again
to Caughnawaga for the first event of a scheduled doubleheader weekend. It was an all-lefty field, with Hale Erwin Norman
scoring four pars on the front nine to take the lead, and never looking back on his way to a five shot victory over Dr. Mario
Blondin. Hale allowed for some hope among his competition after scoring a putrid nine on the par-4 13th, after which point his
lead was reduced to one, but Norman would then finish out in three over par, good enough (at least in the LGA) for the runaway
win. It was Norman's fourth win in five events this season. As for Blondin, it was his putting which once again evaded him, as
well as his swing, although he still played well enough to finish in double-digits and hang onto second place. Chris The 9-Iron
Kid, participating in his third straight LGA event, a miracle by his standards, fired a barf-ingesting 12 on the par-5 5th, and also
failed to score a par on the back nine, and as a result failed to break 100, entering the clubhouse with a 101. Still, it was Chris'
low round of 2006. Finishing last, one measely stroke behing the 9-Iron Kid, was Paul Hornsby III. After a smelly front nine
which featured a stretch of two holes requiring 17 shots to complete, 'Da Turd' rallied, enjoying the best back nine of the field,
but as always with Hornsby, it was 'too little, too late' and another event in the cellar. Actually, 9-Iron Kid should have had third
place by two shots, but his 8-inch putt for 100 on 18 was left short. A steady rain joined the boys for the 17th and 18th holes.
Photos not available
JULY 23, 2006 - BELLEVUE (WOODLANDS COURSE)
*COSTA DOINBIZNIS
DR. MARIO BLONDIN
PAUL HORNSBY III
46-49--- 95
49-50--- 99
57-50--- 107
Rare beautiful weather awaited a barley minimun field of three as the LGA completed its doubleheader weekend at Bellevue,
this time on the Woodlands Course. In his first appearance of the month of July, Costa Doinbiznis struck the ball well, scoring
six pars for the day and leaving the 18th green with his third LGA tournament win of '06. Costa's victory was very much in doubt
through 11, as runner up Dr. Mario Blondin reduced the lead to a single shot, but 'The Biz' would reply with consecutive pars on
12 and 13, and from that point needed not look back. For Dr. Blondin. it was more unspectacular golf, good enough to break
100 but not good enough to instill fear into his opposition. At least his 35 putt performance could be seen as an improvement,
as the doctor's putting has truly sucked over the last couple of months. And, naturally, while we are on the subject of sucky
performances, we bring up the name Paul Hornsby III, who for a second straight day suffered a difficult front nine before getting
it together. He finally appeared ready to play on 18, where he would score a regulation par. To his credit, Hornsby was hitting
the ball deep, although mostly it was deep into the woods, or deep into the lake. When his ball would find it's way deep into the
cup, on almost every occasion it was for double bogey or worse. Fred Cupholders was also scheduled to attend, but failed to
after his secretary supplied him with the wrong tee time.
Photos not available
JULY 29, 2006 - SAINT-JEROME
HALE ERWIN NORMAN
DR. MARIO BLONDIN
*COSTA DOINBIZNIS
PAUL HORNSBY III
50-53--- 103
58-53--- 111
57-54--- 111
54-58--- 112
The LGA chose a hot and muggy afternoon for its first ever official event at Saint-Jerome, an event rescheduled after being
rained out on July 15th. Although unclear as to whether it was unfamiliarity with the golf course or simply a general lack of talent
which caused all parties to shoot both nines in the fifties, it was in all probability the latter. Still, like a diamond in the rough
(excuse the pun), Hale Erwin Norman coasted to a four shot lead at the half, and extended it thereafter, finishing the round
ahead by eight and with his fifth win of the LGA season. Hale managed five pars on the day, and would have certainly finished
with a score under 100 were it not for his lousy finish, and especially his 9 on the par-4 16th. The real excitement would be the
competition for second place. Paul Hornsby III appeared to have the runner-up honours wrapped up as late as on the 14th tee,
but alas, he would choke once again, allowing both Dr. Mario Blondin and Costa Doinbiznis to pass him and finish tied for
second with feces-smeared 111's, one better than Hornsby's vomit-spewing 112. Dr. Mario carded three 9's in total versus a
single par, while Doinbiznis was only slightly more consistent, with his card featuring three 8's and only a single 9, versus one
par (Who says this writer does not dwell on the positive?). Hornsby also carded a couple of nines, with the one on 16 putting
him in the cellar for good. For the record, there were no tens posted all day, by anyone!
Photos not available
JULY 30, 2006 - CAUGHNAWAGA
CHRIS THE 9-IRON KID
*COSTA DOINBIZNIS
PAUL HORNSBY III
*FRED CUPHOLDERS
47-50--- 97
51-47--- 98
51-50--- 101
53-49--- 102
The LGA completed its third doubleheader weekend of the month of July, an accomplishement indeed, at Caughnawaga, with
results which, although not shocking, were somewhat surprising. Chris The 9-Iron Kid claimed his first LGA victory since 2004,
squeaking out a one shot victory over top rightie Costa Doinbiznis. Chris led by as much as six shots early in the round after a
sizzling par-par start, and watched as his opposition slowly narrowed the gap. Were golf a 19-hole sport (actually, in the LGA it
usually is, but in a different sense), The 9-Iron Kid would have probably fallen out of the lead, as Costa Doinbiznis ended the
round the same way 9-Iron began it, with par-par. It was Chris' low round and first sub-100 game of the season. As for
Doinbiznis, in retrospect the victory should have been an easy one, but his 9 on the par-5 1st hole, coupled with his 10 on the
short par-4 16th, changed this 'victory' into a runner-up performance. Next on the leaderboard was Paul Hornsby III with another
disappointing result. Hornsby followed a boring front nine 51 with a decent back nine, appearing destined to break 100 only for
the third time this season, until the 18th hole, where he would fire a nine to catapult him into triple digits. Hornsby did finish one
stroke better than Fred Cupholders, who found the cellar for the first time in '06. After a three week layoff, not much was
expected from Fred, and he delivered! His 102 was his third straight round over 100, in spite of his putting only 30 times. Expect
Cupholders to pick up the pace heading towards the Lefty Masters in three weeks' time, where, as always, our heroes will vie
for the coveted Yellow Jacket.
Photos not available