On Friday afternoon, July 17th a crucial match in this year's Waterfield competition took place between two previously undefeated teams - FreddyMac and TT/GMcD. Many of those who follow this competition closely already have their money on these two teams meeting in the final, one at 5-0 in the round robin and one at 4-1.

First the headlines:
MAC MAKES NET PAR/PAR ON THE FRONT NINE PAR 3's
FRED MAKES SEVEN CONSECUTIVE PARS TO EFFECTIVELY CRUSH TT/GMcD
TOM BOGEYS EVERY PAR 5
GMcD PLAYS 15 HOLES IN BOGEY OR WORSE
FreddyMac were clearly on their game. TT/GMcD never really had a chance. Or did they ...?

Now the details:
#1 Mac makes a great third shot from 100 out. He and GMcD match net pars.
#2 Fred makes his only 3-putt of the day to match Mac and GMcD's bogeys but Tom is on and makes a great lag putt. Par conceded and TT/GMcD are 1 up. But not for long.
#3 Mac uses his stroke well. Makes net par which is good after both opponents skull their chip shots. All Square.
#4 Mac goes AWOL. Fred makes 6. Both TT are close to green but can't get up and down. A crucial failure, as it turns out. No blood. Match still All Square.
#5 Fred hits wrong ball from fairway. Oops! Tom loses drive right. Oops! But both strokers are on in three about 30 feet away. GMcD takes two putts, Mac takes three and momentarily it's TT/GMcD 1 up.
#6 Tom bombs it over, everyone else goes right. Then Fred goes really right and his ball is never seen again. Mr Terrific makes a 2-putt par but Mac is stroking and his net par gets the push. Fred is now 11 over par after six holes but only 1 down thanks to some solid play by his partner. Fred removes his golf shirt to reveal his Superman outfit beneath and goes on a tear. Seven consecutive pars and that just about does in TT/GMcD.
#7 But not quite yet. Fred and Mac both get up and down for pars. But Tom and GMcD have 12-footers for birdie. GMcD goes first and with Tom's read the putt drops for birdie! Ever-so-briefly, they are 2 up but it will be a long time before they win another hole and by that time it may be too late.
#8 Fred 2-putts from 60 feet for par, Mac makes net par, TT and GMcD sloppy bogeys and their descent has begun. TT/GMcD 1 up. Mac has just gone net par/par/net par. But this is the day Prime Minister Trudeau has announced that everyone should get ten paid sick days. He figures that includes him so he goes AWOL for the last ten holes and won't be heard from again. But no matter. He has a partner who is on fire!
#9 Fred and Tom both chip from in front to back pin and both get it inside 8 feet. Fred lines up his putt, stands over it, then stands over it some more, then stands ... okay he eventually hits the ball and in it goes. When it is finally Tom's turn his whiskers have grown half an inch and his face is itchy. He pushes his par putt right and not only is the match back to All Square but FreddyMac have the BIG MO. Incredibly, Mac and Fred have just shot 48 and 47 to a pair of 43s and they are tied.
#10 Fred hits another green in reg but so does Tom. Two pars and a net par for GMCD and the match remains tied.
#11 Fred hits it over the trap and right at the pin. It coulda gone in. TT hits a fine chip to four feet from 75 feet right. GMcD gets his chip to four inches. Of course Fred makes par as well. No blood.
#12 Fred on in reg again. A fine lag from the back and an easy par putt. GMCD misses his from 25 feet. TT has a slippery downhill 14-footer. He reads it perfectly and the ball curls in. What a great gutsy putt! His team stays even. But not for long.
#13 TT still basking in the adulation for his putt on #12, forgets to hit it and doesn't quite clear the water. Fred on in perfect position (what else is new?). GMcD messes up another chip and has to settle for 4. Fred makes the two-putt par and for the first time all day, FreddyMac is up 1. Their opponents are fading.
#14 Fred has an 80 yard chip but puts it inside 10 feet. GMcD makes another lousy chip and another bogey. TT has gone long - just about in the trap and has a putt that will take him over a sprinkler head. No relief say FreddyMac (correctly) so he has to aim right of the hole. He is still able to get it to 3 feet. Incredibly, Fred misses. TT makes his par putt and has stopped the bleeding. Match All Square with four to go.
#15 Fred continues his stellar play. On in reg, tap in par. But GMcD is inside him and mistakenly thinks he has a stroke. He babies the putt and taps in for par and what he thinks is a win. NOT! Still All Square.
#16 GMcD is stroking. Hits two shots to 78 yards and is in great shape. Hits the next one 23 yards. Ouch! Fred has made a superb chip to five feet right. TT has made a superb chip to six feet right. GMcD bears down and gets his fourth to six feet right as well. He goes first and, with a read from Tom, he makes the putt for net par. Fred's putt does a 270 but fails to fall. All of a sudden it's TT/GMcD 1 up with two to go.
#17 Fred is beside the right trap in two. Tom has driven left and has to get over or through a tree to get anywhere near the green. He chooses through. And through it goes, coming to rest at the back of the green - back pin. In his excitement (or consternation) Fred pulls the wrong club out of his bag - his 54 degree wedge instead of his 60. Oops! Of course he goes a little long - 6 feet long. Tom has a dangerous curling downhill putt that he plays brilliantly. Gimme for par. Now Fred has to make his 6-footer to keep the match alive. Alas, it was not to be and the match ends TT/GMcD 2 and 1.
    Fred has played the final 12 holes in just four over par. Almost but not quite enough. Mac joined us for beverages at the 19th.

Fred 47-40 87 net 76
Mac 48-59 107 net 85
Tom 43-40 83 net 72
GMcD 43-43 86 net 70 ( no doubles, no three-putts for the first time this year)