The 16th WDI Invitational in Northern Michigan was touted as the finest field in its 12 year history. Six former champs (Neck, Bolt, Broneck, Snoot, Fish and Kapalua) were vying for the Pewter Cup for the first time on Michigan soil. Six of the eight courses were five-star championship layouts (Black Lake, Bay Harbor, Arcadia Bluff, The Bear at Traverse and The Treetops Masterpiece and Signature).
The Contestants
Tensions ran high as BoIt was competing for his third consecutive title. Neck was trying to bounce back after last winning almost 10 years ago in Pinehurst, as well as Snoot Doggy Dogg at Cherokee in August of ’96. Broneck, playing well above expectations after tying in May of ’05 with Kapalua at Lake Nona/Bay Hill, planned to move in contention since he had retired and was spending more time on his game. Boynie Stein, everybody’s favorite dark horse, was carrying a 23 handicap and hungrily looking for his first title. Fish and/or Cut Bait was trying to tell the golf world that his ’04 win in England by three over Boynie was no fluke.
Matt (Mudman) Mudano, promising rookie of the year, (you better ask Rosen about this) was feeling cocky enough to predict victory, and, of course, long-time journeyman, Kapalua the fans’ favorite – who had a chip the size of Neck’s head on his shoulder, who started off like a zephyr in so many past WDIs only to fade away like the early morning’s dew.
Tournament Began
Boynie Stein started slowly tied for fourth, but after three rounds, he vaulted into the lead and held it till the sixth round. Going into the final day at The Bear, he was tied for third only five points behind Bolt. He would, however, finish second for the third time in the WDI after failing to take advantage of Kapalua on the back nine at The Bear. Mudman, vying for rookie of the year honors, (look at Rocket Rosen, Dominican Republic ’06) jumped out of the gate after the first round tied for first with Kapalua but faded away like an old soldier and fell to third after the fifth round only to end up tied for fifth overall. “After his dog was kidnapped” at Arcadia Bluffs, he was emotional distraught and psychologically finished.
Former WDI Champ “Snoot Doggy Dogg” started slowly at sixth, moved up with fine iron play to second after three rounds, but faded after the Shankman showed up. He finished tied for fifth with Matt “I’m Fucked in the Head” Mudano.
Fish or Cut Bait had one disastrous round that defined his week and that was a first round high of minus 22 that kept him “out of water” for the entire week. What coulda, woulda, shoulda, never materialized.
The Bolt, five-time WDI Champ, had never finished but in three places, first, third or fourth in his illustrious WDI career. No second place for the Bolster. But this time, after starting off slowly (following reconstructive knee, shoulder, hip, and elbow surgery) at second place then falling all the way down to sixth after the Tradition, he made his famous trademark come back at Arcadia Bluffs and Bay Harbor to take command of first place at minus one, two shots ahead of Kapalua, and five shots ahead of Boynie going into the final round at The Bear. But alas, he ran out of gas and wracked by self pity and personal doubt, as well as shitty luck, was never in contention and finished tied for third with Broneck.
The Necks
Meanwhile back at Frankenmuth, the Neck brothers had their own demons. Neck’s 60th annual high school reunion had him driving back and forth three hundred miles per day, sapping his strength and rendering his game defenseless. Prior to leaving, due to a tragic personal loss, the Neck was alone in seventh place. Trying to uplift the infamous Nuechterlein name, Broneck was playing his usual steady game, starting at third place, moving up to a tie for first after the second day and, eventually, entering the last day at The Bear in fourth place at minus 11, ten shots off the lead. Bro was hoping for a recurrence of his play in ’05 at Lake Nona when he shot a WDI record 73 that would earn him his first co-championship, but, alas, The Bear took its toll on Broneck, and all he could do was muster a third-place tie with the fading Bolt.
A Bare Finish
Meanwhile, back at the condo, Kapalua paced like a caged wolverine. Starting off the tourney tied with Mudman at first place, he seemed poised to make his standard charge only to be overcome by shingles, bad play, bad gas, poor swing mechanics, etc. He fell to fifth place after four rounds, moved back to third after Fazio Premier, and then shooting a sterling 68 at Bay Harbor was alone at second, one behind Bolt going into the final round at The Bear. Wearing his traditional red shirt, black Hugo Boss trousers, Kapalua vaulted out of the starting gate at The Bear startling his playing partners, Bolt, Boynie, and Broneck (the killer bees) with his 325 yard drives, precise sand game, and overall excellent play, but after 14 holes Kapalua was falling apart like a cheap suit at the Men’s Wearhouse. Two triples in three holes reduce his lead and the killer bees were poised to make a run, but on a “bear of a course” Bolt, Bro, and Boynie all missed easy two-foot birdie putts on consecutive holes enabling Kapalua to limp home with an easy seven-stroke victory over Boynie “his third straight second-place finish” and eight strokes over Bolt and Broneck.
Kapalua had won the 16th WDI in Michigan over eight grueling courses and stated over iced tea and crackers at the championships dinner, “What that was?” in typical Snoot Doggy Dog style.
We all look forward to the next WDI in ’07 wherever it may be.
Yours in golf,
Rick Reilly
P.S. The final tabulations were as follows:
1 Kapalua -5
2 Stein -12
3 tie Bolt -13
3 tie Broeneck -13
5 tie Snoot -22
5 tie Mudano -22
7 Neck -22 DQ
8 Fish -24