The first time Brent Delahoussaye and Charles Warren had the lead at the SCGA Four-Ball championship was when their final putt dropped in the hole.
The two former Clemson golfers battled back from being 2-down early in the match to get even and stay even with Jay MacAllister and Michael Sims until the 19th hole.
“It was a good match, but I don’t think any of us had our A game all day,” said Delahoussaye. “Neither of us played great until the back nine,” he said.
The sides swapped wins on the first two holes before MacAllister and Sims won numbers 3 and 4 to get the largest lead of the match.
Delahoussey and Warren evened the match by the turn with wins on the eighth and ninth holes.
On the back nine MacAllister rolled in a long birdie putt on number 13, but the lead only lasted a hole until Delahoussaye birdied number 15.
On the demanding par 5 16th hole it looked like MacAllister and Sims could regain the lead.
MacAllister’s second shot was in a deep green-side bunker. He couldn’t see the hole only the top of the flag stick, but it didn’t matter.
His pitch landed on the green and rolled in the hole for an eagle. It was an even more remarkable shot considering he had to blast it out of a foot print in the trap.
‘It had been a long time since I had played match play and it is a different mentality,” said Warren. “When that one went in, it flipped the script pretty quickly,” he said.
Warren had around 30 feet to the pin and instead of getting it close for a birdie, he had to try to sink it or lose the hole. He put his eagle putt in on top of MacAllisters.
“I had a good read on it. If it hadn’t hit the middle of the hole it might have gone off the green, but as it worked out it kept us in the ball game,” said Warren.
Both teams had long birdie chances on 18, but each had to settle for pars sending the match to a 19th hole.
All four players found the green, but Warren and Delahoussaye were within makable birdie range while MacAlister and Sims birdie chances were more difficult.
Neither golfer was able to make his birdie as the advantage swung to Warren and Delahoussaye.
Warren had a 20 footer that tailed off just before the hole.
Dalahoussaye’s putt was a little short er from just on the green. He rolled it perfectly and when it went in they had the win without ever having the lead before.
“We thought Charles putt was in, but it freed me up. No need to leave it short, just put a good run on it and fortunately it went in,” said Celahoussaye.
“He made a lot of good putts this week and that was the culmination of it,” said Warren.
The two former Clemson golfers claimed medalist honors by shooting qualifying rounds of 65 and 66 for a 131 total.
It earned the pair the second seed in the opening round of match play.
The two had one close call winning their quarterfinal match on the final hole, but won their other matches by comfortable margins.
“This week was a lot fun. We love playing together and hopefully we will get a chance to do it some more,” said Warren.
“Hopefully the US Four-Ball and try to throw in a few other four-ball tournaments. Playing my own ball for 18 holes isn’t so good” joked Delahoussaye.
“I guess were on the four-ball circuit now,” added Warren.
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