“Playoffs, you talking about playoffs” was a well-publicized rant by former NFL Head Coach Jim Mora when his Indianapolis Colts team was struggling to win ball games late in the 2001 season. Playoffs was also the theme of the afternoon for the 2024 Clovernook Open as players attempted to take home the twenty thousand dollar first place price.

With play suspended on Thursday night due to rain, twelve golfers needed to return to the course on Friday morning for an 8:00 AM continuation of round two. These players were greeted with overcast skies, damp wet conditions, and a stiff northly wind that always makes scoring difficult at the Nook. For Andrew Wilkinson the overnight wait was well worth it as his birdie on the seventeenth hole followed by a par on eighteen earned him a spot in the final round.

With conditions being harder, tournament officials set the golf course up a bit softer, hoping for a late round shootout as the leaders completed play later in the day. Wes Homan, the winner of the inaugural event in 2019, knew that he needed to go low to put pressure on the leaders if he was to contend for the winner’s check. Playing three hours in front of the last groups, Homan made birdies at the first, fourth, and after making a eagle three on the fifth he produced the fast start that was needed to contend.

But the putter cooled off and after making 9 straight pars he knew this wasn’t enough to get him to the top spot. After a birdie on fifteen he knew that more birdies were needed on the downwind par fives of sixteen and seventeen. Having done that, he was now the leader and when he finished with a par on eighteen it looked as if his charge would come up just short.

At one point late in the round six players were tied for the lead at eleven under par including Blake Maum (65), Jacob Sollon (66), and Kyle Mueller (69). Willie Mack III had played solidly all day and upon arriving at the sixteenth he only needed to birdie one of the 3 remaining to claim the title. But the golf gods didn’t deliver and with pars on the closing three holes he too found himself tied at eleven under par with a final round 70.

While Mack was making his final par on eighteen, Graham McAree was awaiting the green to clear for his chance to win it all. After a solid drive in the fairway and a pitch shot to twelve feet it looked like the last player on the course was in control. But when McAree’s putt came up just short six players had tied for the lead at eleven under.

Fittingly, the Clovernook members in attendance now had more golf to enjoy as the players headed back to the eighteenth tee for a sudden death playoff. Homan once again took charge with a drive just a few yards in front of the green and with a pitch shot to a few feet he was looking like the eventual winner. Mack had driven the ball right of the green and with a suspect lie at best he looked to be heading home in a tie for second. But he played the shot of the playoff to one foot and when he sank the birdie putt, he and Homan were headed back to the eighteenth tee for more golf.

Both players, having hit drives just in front of the green, now needed their short games to produce the coveted victory. Mack, playing first, hit a beautiful pitch and run shot that settled 3 feet behind the hole for a great look at birdie. Homan matched that shot with his own chip to about 5 feet as it looked like more golf was needed to decide the winner. But when Homan slightly miss read his putt and missed low Mack had the opening that he needed to close out the victory.  After a couple of deep breaths to calm himself, he boldly slammed his putt into the back of the cup for the win.

For Mack, who regularly competes on the APGA tour, the victory couldn’t have come at a better time. “I knew that this course would fit my game as it’s not a bomber course but rather requires precise wedge play and a strong putter”.  After thinking about his victory, he left the scoring room with one more thought stating that “I cannot wait to come back next year and defend this title”.

As for Andrew Wilkinson, our last player to make the cut, his final round 69 moved him up sixteen spots into a tie for twenty-eighth for a nice payday. After packing up the tournament staff took a minute to reflect on the early morning setup thoughts regarding that much-anticipated shootout while heading out. “I’m not sure how we top this finish next year I said to Jared, but his was an awesome way to end this one.”

Thanks to everyone involved who provided their support and time to this fantastic event and to our 2014 Champion Willie Mack III, well played young man, and we now look forward to 2025.

 Dave Miller - GCGA Tournament Director