Grey (Huw) drew with Purple (Lawrence) on a split decision 6 all
The 2015 was a tale of two tours - it was the best of times, it was the worst of times..... Sport has become more than just the conflict of man versus man; it has become an event, an occasion and dare I say it, all about the money.
First the golf: - Jack "Don King" de Montaignac made it clear how confident he was in his team picking on the first tee. "There is no way we are not going to win this" the promoteur par excellence gushed as his stable of prizefighters made their way to the first tee. The skipper, Lawrence, had brought along his VHS version of the 1991 and 1999 Ryder Cups and had clearly been in contact with Ben Crenshaw for team uniform ideas - 2-1 up after the four-balls and even the mighty Dougs and Els were downed by Tim and Marcus. By the time Grey's skipper came in after the afternoon 9 his team were down in all 3 games. Huw had adopted the "let them play" approach to captaincy and spent his time on the phone desperately trying to contact his vice-captains around the course but without any luck - someone, somewhere has 317 messages on their phone......
So at the half way stage Grey were in disarray and Purple already striding into the ring in their golden gowns. A boat race victory (more a slaughter really) that evening brought a tiny sliver of hope back to Grey minds whilst the first slips in the Purple armour were seen. Following the Peter Moore's coaching manual Lawrence insisted on a fierce regime of stretches and practice before checking out the data....
The evening was excellent; Malbec all round and a warm-up from Lawrence before his entry at the 2015 UK beatbox Championships at the Clapham Grand this November. The chat flowed and even Tim was overcome with a case of the "please and thank yous". Bill would have enjoyed and appreciated the evening.
Now was the time however that terrestrial subscribers would have to leave our screens and only those who had ordered the main event through either the Redyr Cup Box-office or through the red button were there to witness those 3 rounds of mano versus mano action. The UK beerweight champion had already been floored in Stratford and Mr Money himself would be wary of stepping into the ring again having seen these Champions go toe to toe.
So, the morning after the night before the main event. This time though it was a very different Purple who hauled themselves to the first tee. Firstly Huw had recognised the weakness in Purple's strategy. As they had ended the day so far ahead they were carrying half of Grey's clubs in their bags. A quick phone call over breakfast and suddenly the golf carts were all booked out! - A disaster as, in the gloom and the rain, the teams set out to finish the duel started in the bright evening sun. Whilst the result still returned Purple 2 points the damage had been done. Whilst winning their game Lawrence and Matt were punch drunk and only some extraordinary golf from Tim "can I please chip it in from 150 yards, from the inside of a tree" Coller and Jack "I'm playing to 42 honest guv, oops I've just nailed a 6 iron to 10 feet" de Montaignac made their game safe.
4 - 2 going into the singles. Safe you say.
Some of us remember Brown's capitulation in 2011. Some of us have even watched the Miracle of Medinah. Some of us still believe that wrestling is real. But no-body could foresee the wave of singles victories that Grey produced in those final hours. How obvious was it that Gav was going to repay Jack for the pain and suffering he had received, how clear was it that playing the brothers Hodder against each other would end only one way and why oh why did anyone think Dougs was going to be on the losing end of a game 2 days running..... Even at the end the calculators came out but the truth was there, staring back at us all - it was a draw, the judges were split on their scorecards but nothing - apart from the Boat race which Grey won obviously - could split the two sides.
What an event and simply one of the best we have seen from both a golfing and social perspective. Again, a pair of captains from opposite ends of the spectrum jut in the end nothing could separate them. Yet without Simon or Ben Goor playing I suppose a draw was always in the offing..........
Fourballs (2-1 Purples up)
JP and Matt T bt Hods and Huw 3 & 2
Lawrence and Jack lost to DC and Gav
Tim and Marcus bt Dougs and Els 1up
Killer Foursomes (4-2 Purples up)
Tim and Jack by Hods and Gav 2 up
JP and Marcus lost to Dougs and Guy 2&1
Lawrence and Matt T bt Huw and Els 2&1
Singles (6 all)
Marcus bt Els
Jack lost to Gav
JP lost to Hods
Matt T lost to Huw
Tim bt Guy
Lawrence lost to Dougs