| The Month in Review |
| A monthly feature recapping all Lefty Golfers Association events |
| September 2008 |
SEPTEMBER 13, 2008 - CAUGHNAWAGA
HALE ERWIN NORMAN
*FRED CUPHOLDERS
PAUL HORNSBY III
*FRED CUPHOLDERS
PAUL HORNSBY III
45-44--- 89
51-54--- 105
56-59--- 115
51-54--- 105
56-59--- 115
After an idle long Labour Day Weekend, the LGA returned to action with the annual competition for the Workman's
Compensation Trophy. The field was disappointingly small, with only three vying for the title. In fact, were it not for Paul
Hornsby III, who was not initially scheduled to participate due to his hand injury, but changed his mind just prior to the event
after a couple of last minute cancellations by Dr. Mario Blondin and Chris The-9-Iron Kid, the tournament would not have
gained 'official' status. As for the golf, Hale Erwin Norman scored four pars and nothing worse than double bogey en route
to a very easy 16 shot victory over the sole rightie in the event, Fred Cupholders. It was Norman's sixth victory of 2008, leaving
him still well behind Costa Doinbiznis in wins. Although it seems probable that Costa's season may effectively be over after
being called into service by the government of Cuba, it nevertheless appears unlikely that Norman will catch 'The Biz' in wins
this year. Norman's 89 was his second sub-90 round of the year. As for Cupholders, his failure to score a single par, as well
as his inability to put the ball in the hole, as his 40 putts so painfully indicates, played a role in his mediocre 105. It is
doubtful, however, that good putting or a couple of pars would have been enough for Fred to overcome Norman's quality
round. Finishing well back, in third and last place (only in the LGA can one finish in last place and on the podium at the
same time), was Paul Hornsby III. As already mentioned, Hornsby wanted the week off to nurse his still ailing left hand, but
decided that he would go out and give it the old college try. His bogey free back nine (which of course in the LGA also means
par and birdie-free) would not qualify Hornsby for any form of college. Hornsby has now appeared in 213 consecutive 'official'
LGA events, having not missed a tournament since June 7, 2002.
Compensation Trophy. The field was disappointingly small, with only three vying for the title. In fact, were it not for Paul
Hornsby III, who was not initially scheduled to participate due to his hand injury, but changed his mind just prior to the event
after a couple of last minute cancellations by Dr. Mario Blondin and Chris The-9-Iron Kid, the tournament would not have
gained 'official' status. As for the golf, Hale Erwin Norman scored four pars and nothing worse than double bogey en route
to a very easy 16 shot victory over the sole rightie in the event, Fred Cupholders. It was Norman's sixth victory of 2008, leaving
him still well behind Costa Doinbiznis in wins. Although it seems probable that Costa's season may effectively be over after
being called into service by the government of Cuba, it nevertheless appears unlikely that Norman will catch 'The Biz' in wins
this year. Norman's 89 was his second sub-90 round of the year. As for Cupholders, his failure to score a single par, as well
as his inability to put the ball in the hole, as his 40 putts so painfully indicates, played a role in his mediocre 105. It is
doubtful, however, that good putting or a couple of pars would have been enough for Fred to overcome Norman's quality
round. Finishing well back, in third and last place (only in the LGA can one finish in last place and on the podium at the
same time), was Paul Hornsby III. As already mentioned, Hornsby wanted the week off to nurse his still ailing left hand, but
decided that he would go out and give it the old college try. His bogey free back nine (which of course in the LGA also means
par and birdie-free) would not qualify Hornsby for any form of college. Hornsby has now appeared in 213 consecutive 'official'
LGA events, having not missed a tournament since June 7, 2002.
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Photos not available
THE THIRTEENTH LEFTY OLYMPICS OF GOLF
HALE ERWIN NORMAN - Germany GOLD**
DR. MARIO BLONDIN - Ireland SILVER
PAUL HORNSBY III - Ukraine BRONZE
*FRED CUPHOLDERS - Lebanon
*PIETRO LEWINSKY - Italy
CHRIS THE 9-IRON KID - Greece
*SERGIO GARC.I.A. - Spain
** - won in playoff
DR. MARIO BLONDIN - Ireland SILVER
PAUL HORNSBY III - Ukraine BRONZE
*FRED CUPHOLDERS - Lebanon
*PIETRO LEWINSKY - Italy
CHRIS THE 9-IRON KID - Greece
*SERGIO GARC.I.A. - Spain
** - won in playoff
45-48--- 93
43-50--- 93
41-53--- 94
46-51--- 97
49-53--- 102
53-52--- 105
89-81--- 170
43-50--- 93
41-53--- 94
46-51--- 97
49-53--- 102
53-52--- 105
89-81--- 170
For a thirteenth straight year, the LGA sucessfully staged it's biggest tournament of the year, the Lefty Olympics of Golf. Once
again controversy ruled, both on and off the course, as Cuba's boycott of the event, protesting the Cuban Missile Crisis a full
46 years after the event took place, reduced the field to 7 nations. The boycott ensured the non-participation of probable LGA
Player of the Year Costa Doinbiznis. Controversy and surprise ruled the action on the course as well, as Germany's Hale
Erwin Norman benefitted from a highly disputed ruling on 18 after being unable to find his ball, resulting in a tie with Dr. Mario
Blondin of Ireland at 93, a tie which would be broken after several playoff holes with Norman emerging as the victor. The day
started out in a very different direction, however, as Paul Hornsby III, representing Ukraine, started out on fire, scoring par on 5
of the first 6 holes (the only bogey during that stretch was a 3-putt special on 5) and in fact led undisputed through 17 holes,
until he hit his tee shot out of bounds on 18. Hornsby would nevertheless end up in third place for the bronze medal, a single
shot from the lead, continuing his major tournament drought. As Norman and Blondin closed in on Hornsby, they made
mistakes of their own. Blondin's regulation four-putt double bogey on 17 serves as a prime example. Still the podium was the
exclusive domain of lefties for the 13th edition of the event. The rest of the field included Fred Cupholders from Lebanon, who
was the only other player to break 100 at 97. Cupholders was in the thick of it, but his beer hole triple bogey caused too much
damage to his score for him to win. Fifth place produced another surprise performance, even more surprising than Hornsby's
amazing start, as Pietro Lewinsky, wearing the colours of Italy, shattered his all time best score by an incredible eight shots,
entering the clubhouse with 102, after his first serious career shot at a double digit round. Lewinsky double bogeyed the final
five holes, guaranteeing a sleepless night or two over the next several days as he asks himself "What if?" Greece's Chris The
9-Iron Kid, the only lefty to finish off the podium, continued his streak of triple-digit games, this time a drab 105 which included
37 putts. Rounding out the field, in his LGA debut, was Sergio GarCIA of Spain, who established a personal best at 170, a
mark which is sure to improve as the future unfolds. Although Sergio carded seven holes in double digits, his round also
featured a few impressively low numbers for a rookie. Some have remarked that it was GarCIA's calming influence on his
playing partners, Hornsby and Lewinsky, that caused their exceptional performance, but Hornsby still choked in the end,
proving yet again that in the LGA, the more things change...
again controversy ruled, both on and off the course, as Cuba's boycott of the event, protesting the Cuban Missile Crisis a full
46 years after the event took place, reduced the field to 7 nations. The boycott ensured the non-participation of probable LGA
Player of the Year Costa Doinbiznis. Controversy and surprise ruled the action on the course as well, as Germany's Hale
Erwin Norman benefitted from a highly disputed ruling on 18 after being unable to find his ball, resulting in a tie with Dr. Mario
Blondin of Ireland at 93, a tie which would be broken after several playoff holes with Norman emerging as the victor. The day
started out in a very different direction, however, as Paul Hornsby III, representing Ukraine, started out on fire, scoring par on 5
of the first 6 holes (the only bogey during that stretch was a 3-putt special on 5) and in fact led undisputed through 17 holes,
until he hit his tee shot out of bounds on 18. Hornsby would nevertheless end up in third place for the bronze medal, a single
shot from the lead, continuing his major tournament drought. As Norman and Blondin closed in on Hornsby, they made
mistakes of their own. Blondin's regulation four-putt double bogey on 17 serves as a prime example. Still the podium was the
exclusive domain of lefties for the 13th edition of the event. The rest of the field included Fred Cupholders from Lebanon, who
was the only other player to break 100 at 97. Cupholders was in the thick of it, but his beer hole triple bogey caused too much
damage to his score for him to win. Fifth place produced another surprise performance, even more surprising than Hornsby's
amazing start, as Pietro Lewinsky, wearing the colours of Italy, shattered his all time best score by an incredible eight shots,
entering the clubhouse with 102, after his first serious career shot at a double digit round. Lewinsky double bogeyed the final
five holes, guaranteeing a sleepless night or two over the next several days as he asks himself "What if?" Greece's Chris The
9-Iron Kid, the only lefty to finish off the podium, continued his streak of triple-digit games, this time a drab 105 which included
37 putts. Rounding out the field, in his LGA debut, was Sergio GarCIA of Spain, who established a personal best at 170, a
mark which is sure to improve as the future unfolds. Although Sergio carded seven holes in double digits, his round also
featured a few impressively low numbers for a rookie. Some have remarked that it was GarCIA's calming influence on his
playing partners, Hornsby and Lewinsky, that caused their exceptional performance, but Hornsby still choked in the end,
proving yet again that in the LGA, the more things change...
Photos not available
SEPTEMBER 20, 2008 - BELLEVUE (WOODLANDS COURSE)
THE WORKMAN'S COMPENSATION TROPHY