Canepa, Liedtke, Baltor and Picchi capture the title, while a six-team traffic jam forms one stroke outside the money There are ordinary four-man scrambles, and then there are scrambles in which every player is eventually forced to stand over a golf ball knowing that the entire team needs this particular shot. Saturday’s tournament at Poplar Creek Golf Club belonged firmly in the second category. The format sounded straightforward: four players, one ball selected after each stroke, and the team continued from the best position until the hole was completed. But there was a condition that changed everything. Each team had to use at least two tee shots and two second shots from every player during the round. That meant no passenger seats. A team could not simply lean on its longest driver for 18 holes. It could not hide a struggling player’s approaches. Across the round, every golfer had to provide four specifically required contributions—two from the tee and two on the next shot. That created strategy, uncertainty and steadily increasing pressure. A player’s first required drive might be used early, while everyone was relaxed. The second could remain unclaimed as the round moved toward its conclusion. The same was true of the required second shots. Teams had to calculate not only which ball was best, but which player’s contribution still had to be recorded. By the time the final scores were posted, Poplar Creek had produced two dramatically different stories. One team had torn through the course with a sensational gross 61. Another had played two perfectly balanced nines, used its handicap allowance decisively and captured the tournament with a net 53—17 under par. Behind them, the third and final prize came down to a single stroke. And immediately beneath the payout line, six teams finished tied at net 58. This was not a leaderboard that gradually separated into predictable tiers. It compressed. It tightened. It turned into a one-shot fight in which nearly everyone remained relevant until the end. The Champions: Joseph Canepa, Robert Liedtke, Dave Baltor and Emil Picchi Gross 66 — Handicap 13 — Net 53 — 17 under par First place — $200 team prize The winning team did not have the lowest gross score of the tournament. It did something that proved even more valuable under the format: it refused to have a weak side. Canepa, Liedtke, Baltor and Picchi went out in 33 and came home in 33. There was no dramatic front-nine explosion followed by a desperate attempt to survive. There was no sluggish beginning requiring a late rescue. Their round was symmetrical, controlled and relentlessly effective. They opened with consecutive 4s, added 3s at the fourth and fifth, and reached the turn with a 33. On the back nine, they immediately restarted the momentum with scores of 4, 3 and 3. The round briefly appeared vulnerable at the 13th, where they recorded a 5. But the response revealed why they won. They followed with a 4 and a 3. After another 5 at the 16th, they produced the score that effectively slammed the door on the championship: a 2 at the 17th. Then came a composed 4 at the last. That closing sequence transformed a strong round into the winning round. Their gross 66 was already four under Poplar Creek’s par of 70. After the 13-stroke team allowance was applied, the final number became 53. No one came within two strokes. Three things the champions did particularly well: First, they maintained perfect nine-to-nine balance with matching 33s. Second, they answered both of their back-nine setbacks immediately instead of allowing one difficult hole to become two. Third, they produced their biggest late-round number—a 2 on the 17th—precisely when the tournament was being decided. In a format designed to test all four players, the winning score looked like the product of exactly that: four golfers contributing without a visible collapse anywhere on the card. The Pursuit: Joel Spielman, Larry Shaw, Ed Ferguson and Rich Stratfull Gross 67 — Handicap 12 — Net 55 — 15 under par Second place — $160 team prize Spielman, Shaw, Ferguson and Stratfull did not allow the champions a comfortable afternoon. They reached the turn in 33, matching the eventual winners’ opening nine. They also recorded two of the most striking numbers of the tournament: a 2 at the seventh and another 2 at the 17th. That second 2 was especially important. With the round nearing its conclusion and every remaining stroke carrying additional weight, the team produced exactly the kind of score capable of changing a tournament. For a moment, the possibility of catching the leaders remained alive. Their back nine began with 4-3-3-4. A 5 at the 14th interrupted the run, but they immediately recovered with a 3. After a 5 at the 16th, the team responded again with the 2 at 17. The final hole, however, produced a 5. They came home in 34 for a gross 67 and a net 55—an excellent score, but two behind the winners. The margin was not large. Over 18 holes, it amounted to one additional stroke on each nine. The team matched the champions with an opening 33 and established immediate contention. Second, it produced two scores of 2, one on each side of the course. Third, it repeatedly recovered after higher numbers, refusing to let the 5s at 14 and 16 turn into a sustained collapse. Their $160 prize represented $40 per player. More importantly, their 15-under net score would have been enough to win many tournaments. On this afternoon, it ran into a team that never loosened its grip. The Final Money Position: E.J. Hill, Skip Sanzeri, Andy Maso and Cheol Kim Gross 69 — Handicap 12 — Net 57 — 13 under par Third place — $120 team prize The most precarious position on any tournament leaderboard is often not first. It is third when only three places are paid. Hill, Sanzeri, Maso and Kim found themselves defending that line against what eventually became a six-team assault. They opened with a 5, but quickly settled into the round. A 4 at the second was followed by scores of 4, 3, 3 and 4. They added a 3 at the seventh and reached the turn in 34. The back nine began with four consecutive steady numbers: 4-4-3-4. Then came the 14th. A 6 appeared on the card—the kind of number that can erase several holes of work in a scramble and, under a net format, suddenly expose a team to everyone immediately behind it. The leaderboard was already crowded. There was no room for another mistake. Their response was decisive. They finished 3-4-3-4. That closing sequence preserved a back-nine 35, a gross 69 and a net 57. When the scoring was completed, the importance of those final four holes became clear: six teams finished at net 58. Hill, Sanzeri, Maso and Kim had secured the final money position by one stroke. One putt. One approach. One avoided mistake. That was the difference between $120 and joining the largest tie on the board. Hill, Sanzeri, Maso and Kim built a stable front-nine foundation of 34 without needing a spectacular outlier. Second, it responded to the 6 at the 14th with four consecutive controlled holes. Third, it protected the final prize position under enormous leaderboard pressure, finishing one stroke ahead of six teams. Each player received $30. Given what developed directly beneath them, those were some of the hardest-earned dollars of the afternoon. The Net-58 Logjam The leaderboard immediately below third place looked less like a ranking and more like a traffic collision. Six teams finished at net 58, 12 under par. They arrived there in completely different ways. One shot a gross 61. Others shot 67, 69 and 71. One attacked early. Another surged late. Some built their round through consistency; others relied on explosive low numbers. But all six finished exactly one stroke outside the money. Joe Cioni, Dave Koons, David Butzman and Saad Saleem Gross 67 — Handicap 9 — Net 58 Cioni, Koons, Butzman and Saleem mounted one of the strongest back-nine charges in the field. They turned in 34 after a front nine that included a run of 3-3-3 at holes five through seven. Their back nine began steadily, and although they recorded a 5 at the 13th, they quickly regained control. The final four holes were decisive: 4-4-3-3. That finish produced a back-nine 33 and a gross 67, tying them with two other teams for one of the best gross rounds behind the tournament’s two lowest totals. Their net 58 placed them only one shot behind third. Cioni, Koons, Butzman and Saleem created momentum with three consecutive 3s on the front nine. Second, they played the back nine in 33, one stroke better than the front. Third, they closed with consecutive 3s, gaining ground all the way to the clubhouse rather than merely protecting their score. They did almost everything required to reach the payout line. They simply encountered a leaderboard on which one stroke separated six teams from the final prize. Shawn Fox, Artie White, P.J. Hudec and Jason Pollard Gross 61 — Handicap 3 — Net 58 No team played better golf in gross terms. Fox, White, Hudec and Pollard produced a staggering 61, nine under par and five strokes lower than the next-best gross total. Their opening nine was a breathtaking 30. They began with a 3, followed with a 4, and then produced a relentless sequence of 3s. From the third through the eighth, they recorded 3-3-3-3-3-3. Even a 5 at the ninth could not prevent them from making the turn in 30. The attack continued. They played the back nine in 31, including a 3 at the 14th, another 3 at the 15th and a 2 at the 17th. Every back-nine score was 4 or lower. This was the round that made everyone stop and study the gross column. But the team’s handicap was only 3. The adjustment moved the brilliant 61 to a net 58, leaving them in the enormous tie one stroke beyond third place. That is the unforgiving mathematics of a net competition: the team played the course better than anyone, but it had less allowance available than anyone else near the top. Fox, White, Hudec and Pollard shot the lowest gross score in the tournament by five strokes. Second, they opened with an extraordinary 30 and maintained the pace with a 31 on the back. Third, they completed the entire back nine without a score higher than 4, including a 2 at the 17th. Their score may not have captured the net title, but it was unquestionably the most dominant gross performance of the day. Joe Fernando, Manny Casillas, Randy Gubert and Dan Sanchez Gross 71 — Handicap 13 — Net 58 Fernando, Casillas, Gubert and Sanchez took a steadier route into the tie. Their front nine included 3s at the third, fifth, seventh and eighth. They reached the turn in 35 and remained within range of a significant net result. The back nine tested them immediately with a 5 at the tenth. They responded with a 4 and a 3. Another 5 appeared at the 13th and again at the 14th, but the team refused to surrender the round. They answered with a 3 at the 15th, a 4 at the 16th, a 3 at the 17th and a 4 at the last. The result was a gross 71 and a net 58. Fernando, Casillas, Gubert and Sanchez generated four scores of 3 on the opening nine. Second, they repeatedly rebounded after higher numbers on the back rather than allowing the round to unravel. Third, they closed 3-4-3-4, giving themselves a legitimate opportunity to reach the money until the final totals were known. Their score showed the value of endurance. The round was tested several times, but it was never lost. Bill Capote, Ken Gerstle, Jason Herd and Dennis Reiser Gross 69 — Handicap 11 — Net 58 Capote, Gerstle, Herd and Reiser built their round around one explosive front-nine moment and an exceptionally controlled finish. Their opening side included 3s at the third and fifth, followed by a 2 at the seventh. That helped them turn in 34. On the back, they produced 4-4-3-4 through the first four holes. Then came one of the most unusual closing sequences in the field. From the 14th through the 18th, they recorded five consecutive 4s. It was not a spectacular finish in the conventional sense, but under pressure it was remarkably stable. No late 5. No disastrous hole. No opening for the round to escape. Their gross 69 became a net 58. Capote, Gerstle, Herd and Reiser produced a major front-nine gain with the 2 at the seventh. Second, they avoided any score higher than 4 on the entire back nine. Third, they closed with five consecutive 4s, displaying the kind of control that is difficult to maintain when required-shot obligations and leaderboard pressure converge. They finished only one stroke from third, with practically no late-round damage to regret. Bret Evans, Scott Rehn, Michael Shaffer and Michael Brosnan Gross 67 — Handicap 9 — Net 58 Evans, Rehn, Shaffer and Brosnan provided one of the day’s most explosive beginnings. They opened with consecutive 4s and then recorded a 2 at the third. After a 5 at the fourth, they produced another 2 at the fifth. Through five holes, their card already contained two 2s. They added 3s at the seventh and eighth and reached the turn in 32, the second-lowest front-nine score in the field. The back nine was more demanding. They recorded a 5 at the tenth, but followed with consecutive 3s. A 4 at the 13th kept them moving, and although additional 5s appeared at the 14th and 16th, they continued fighting. A 3 at the 17th and a 4 at the last secured a back-nine 35 and a gross 67. After the nine-stroke allowance, they joined the tie at net 58. Evans, Rehn, Shaffer and Brosnan produced two scores of 2 within the opening five holes. Second, they reached the turn in 32, putting themselves squarely in contention. Third, after a more difficult back nine, they still closed 3-4 and preserved a net score only one stroke outside the prizes. Few teams generated more early excitement. For several holes, their card looked capable of producing something extraordinary. Kelly Ina, George Kellner, Glenn Kim and Stephen Makishima Gross 71 — Handicap 13 — Net 58 Ina, Kellner, Kim and Makishima also attacked early. They opened 4-4 and then recorded a 2 at the third. A 4 at the fourth and a 3 at the fifth kept the momentum intact. They reached the turn in 34. The back nine began with a 5, followed by a 4 and a 3. Higher scores at the 13th and 14th increased the pressure, but the team continued producing enough low numbers to remain relevant. They recorded a 3 at the 15th and another at the 17th before finishing with a 4. Their gross 71 became a net 58, placing them in the same one-shot-outside-the-money group. Ina, Kellner, Kim and Makishima established immediate momentum with the 2 at the third. Second, they built a competitive front-nine score of 34. Third, they responded to back-nine pressure with 3s at both the 15th and 17th, keeping the final prize within reach. Their path was not identical to the other net-58 teams, but the destination was precisely the same. Joshua Baltor, Tom Collins, Earl Hartfield and Kirk Hansen Gross 73 — Handicap 11 — Net 62 Baltor, Collins, Hartfield and Hansen finished tenth, but their net 62 was still eight under par—a respectable tournament score under a format that demanded contributions from every player. Their front nine included 3s at the third and fifth. After opening the back with a 5 and a 4, they added a 3 at the 12th and a 4 at the 13th. The 14th produced a 6, but the team answered immediately with a 3 at the 15th. They added another 3 at the 17th and closed with a 4. Their final gross score was 73. Baltor, Collins, Hartfield and Hansen found multiple front-nine scoring opportunities with 3s at the third and fifth. Second, they responded immediately to their most difficult hole by producing a 3 at the 15th. Third, they finished 3-4 over the final two holes rather than allowing the round to end on a downward trajectory. Even at the bottom of this particular leaderboard, the team finished eight under net—evidence of the overall depth of scoring across the field. A Tournament Decided by Balance, Resilience and One Stroke The final distribution of the $480 purse was simple: Canepa, Liedtke, Baltor and Picchi: $200, or $50 per player. Spielman, Shaw, Ferguson and Stratfull: $160, or $40 per player. Hill, Sanzeri, Maso and Kim: $120, or $30 per player. But the scoreboard was anything but simple. The lowest gross team shot 61 and finished in the six-way tie at net 58. The champions shot 66 but converted their balanced performance and 13-stroke allowance into a commanding net 53. The runners-up produced two scores of 2 and remained close throughout. The third-place team survived a 6 at the 14th, then held the final money position by exactly one stroke. Directly behind them stood six teams, all at 12 under. That is what made this tournament memorable. The mandatory-shot rule ensured that the outcome was not merely determined by which team possessed the best single player. Every member had to appear in the official story of the round. Every team had to manage its obligations. Every captain had to decide when to accept a usable required shot and when to risk waiting for something better. By the final holes, those decisions mattered. The winning margin was two strokes, but the broader tournament turned on far less. Third place and the six-team tie were separated by one. Several teams produced closing surges. Several survived potentially damaging holes. One delivered a gross masterpiece. Another delivered perfect 33-33 balance. And when the last score was entered, Poplar Creek had its champions: Joseph Canepa, Robert Liedtke, Dave Baltor and Emil Picchi—gross 66, net 53, 17 under par, and winners of a scramble in which no player could hide and no team could relax.