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| Ringering wins fourth Desert Peaks title |
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 | | Photo By Gary Lindberg | | Brian Ringering reacts to draining a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the Desert Peak men’s club championship on Sunday. |
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By Gary Lindberg
Finishing up strong.
That's what Brian Ringering did to reclaim the men's club championship at the Desert Peaks Golf Course. Ringering drained a 20-foot birdie putt on his 36th hole of the Saturday-Sunday event.
"One finally went in," said Ringering of the putt with a six-inch break to the left on the par 5 hole. "I wasn't rolling it real well; they weren't falling."
Ringering finished with a 1-under-par 143 during the two days. He had a 1-under-par 71 in Saturday's qualifying round and an even 72 Sunday. Ringering claimed his fourth Desert Peaks title in the past five years.
Ringering started Sunday's round tied for first with Gary Hopson. Also in the leader's foursome were Jordan Say who started the day one stroke back (72) and Steve Davis, two shots back (73).
Ringering distanced himself from his playing partners with a 1-under-par 35 on the front nine. He was even through the first eight holes and scored a birdie on the 560-yard, par-5 ninth.
"We shot well enough to play in this group, but we're watching Brian play well right now," Davis said.
Hopson put himself in position during Sunday's front nine, but his putts were unkind.
"I had five lip out on that nine," said Hopson who shot a front-nine 40 after Saturday's scores of 37 and 34. He finished with a 77 and a two-day total of 148 for third overall.
Davis tied for eighth with a two-day total of 153. Say finished 11th at 155.
Ringering didn't suffer his first bogey until No. 13, a 406-yard par 4. His approach was to the right of the green and he missed his par putt.
A hole later, Ringering avoided disaster on the par 5 14th. His tee shot landed "about three feet" directly behind a tree in the right rough. Ringering opted for a low punch hook.
"I pulled it off pretty well," said Ringering of the shot which landed 40 feet in front of the green. He chipped onto the green and his first putt left him with a close par putt.
"There wasn't too much work left when they didn't fall," Ringering said. "If you have to keep making five footers, that's when you get in trouble."
The four-time club champ had one slip up, coming on the 35th hole. He had a two-footer for a par on the 90-yard par 3. Instead, the ball rimmed out for what he called "a hiccup."
Ringering's lowest round ever is a 64, shot two years ago at Desert Peaks.
"Yeah, the putts were falling that day," Ringering said. "Even that day I could have gone lower if a couple of putts went in. If as many had gone today, I could have shot that low."
Jim Bauman, playing in another foursome, finished second at 148. He had Sunday's low of 71 after being in eighth place Saturday with a 76.
Bauman had the best three-hole finish of the tourney -- all birdies with putts of eight feet or less. He started his hot streak by draining a five-footer on the par 4, 310-yard 16th. A three-footer fell on the par 3, 90-yard 17th.
The streak continued by making an eight-footer on the par 5 18th. How Bauman had an eight footer is the real story. He hit a 240-yard 3-wood to set up the putt.
"I just hit a career shot," Bauman said. "I knew it was on the green, but I was a long ways away. So I couldn't tell how close it was to the hole."
Bauman did claim the Flight A's net title. Playing with an eight handicap, Bauman had a total net score of 131 (68-63). He finished seven shots ahead of Brad Mondoy and Bob Ringering, both at 138.
Bob Krickbaum claimed the Flight B gross title. His total of 169 included rounds of 84 and 85. Krickbaum finished three shots ahead of Don Kraus at 172 (81-91).
Shane Bush was a two-stroke winner in the Flight B net rankings. Bush, with a 21 handicap, had a total net of 132 (85-67) to win by two strokes over Steve Thill at 134 (68-66). |
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