Buddy Marucci acknowledged Friday that his partner, Macon Moye, carried the team for much of the day in the Chesapeake Cup at the Caves Valley Golf Club, propelling them to the top of the leader board after 27 holes. Yesterday, Marucci returned the favor.
Marucci made two birdies on the final nine holes and saved a crucial par on another, as he and his teammate earned a one-stroke win over Pat Tallent and Tim Jackson. For the two-day tournament, Marucci and Moye finished with a 54-hole score of 10-under-par 203.
"Today, I struggled with my driver a little bit, and Buddy hung us in there the whole time, just enough to win," Moye said.
The victory, however, required a come-from-behind charge on the last nine holes. After finishing 9-under Friday, taking a three-stroke lead, the tandem faltered on the opening 18 yesterday, shooting 2-over 73 to tie for second with Duke Delcher and Bill Hadden.
Tallent and Jackson shot a 4-under 67 for a one-shot lead.
Tallent and Jackson parred the first seven of the final nine holes to keep them at 8-under. Tallent then stroked a stunning, 50-foot uphill putt on 17 for a birdie.
But their luck ran out on the final hole as Jackson rimmed out a four-foot putt for birdie that would have put them at 10-under. "We figured 10-under would either win or go to a playoff," Tallent said.
Marucci downplayed the notion that he bailed out his duo.
"That's kind of what the team's all about," said Marucci, adding that this was their third time as a team and second in the Chesapeake Cup after a runner-up finish last year. "Macon played fine. I hit some good shots today, and he hit a lot of great shots yesterday. That's what partners do."
(Results, 16E)