Final day and I didn't have to work! Perfect. The plan for today was simple: get there early and get a good seat in the stands at #18. Execution: almost perfect. I was on one of the 1st buses leaving Qualcomm and arrived at the main gate at 0600. Quick stepped it across the course to # 18 and found only two rows in the grandstand already filled: the top row that lets you watch them tee off on #1, and the front row above the exit gate where the players go out and the fans can get balls thrown to them. I was orignally hoping for one of those top row seats, but quickly chose another one directly west of the old hole position that had a good view of the slope down into the water and a reasonable view down the fairway to where they would be hitting.
Of course they moved the hole to the far side of the green, but still completely abeam the chosen seat location. I was in my seat at 0630, near 2 guys at the stairs out, front row. Shortly thereafter a guy came and reserved 3 seats for him, his girlfriend, and his brother on one side of me, and another guy, also a volunteer, came and sat between me and the 2 guys who had beat me to the seats. So there were 7 of us on that front row, and there we stayed and protected our investment for the rest of the day. Of course it took almost 4 hours for the 1st group to come in, as the 1st tee time for the day was 0700.
Once the groups started through it was great. We got to watch them either lay up or go for it; and there were plenty of both. Because of the hole position there were only a couple of splashes today; most either made it on or put it in the bunkers over on the East side of the green. One player put it in the stands down a bit from us, though. He politely requested his ball and when the fan passed it down via the marshals he signed a ball and had them pass it up. Very nice.
Once the final groups started coming in the attempts by the general public to get into the stands became more frenzied. People were getting upset that they couldn't get in, and those of us who had seats and were just leaving for a quick run to the john or to get some food were met with suspicion and sometimes open hostitlity back at the entrance to the stands. There was a system: when you left the marshal told you a password which would get you back in. For a lot of people even that was no guarantee that you'd get your seat back as people were squeezing into where-ever they could. Since we had our seats blocked out with portable bleacher cushions it was easier to turn people down when they wanted to sit in our row; even so they still gave us dirty looks.
There were several people who were pushing and fighting to get seats and the cops came and escorted them out. And many times the fire marshal came through and cleared off the stairs and walkways. I'd say that all of the seats were locked up about 1330. The last couple of groups didn't roll in until after 1630, so there was lots of tension.
The entire stand would groan, cheer, or sigh whenever the score changed on the big scoreboard. Finally Rocco came in with a stroke lead and wasn't able to hit his bird, so both Tiger and Lee Westwood had a great opportunity for a playoff. The rest is history. Tiger drove into the sand on the left, hit out into the rough on the left, which meant he had to hit it perfectly onto the green to even attempt a birdie, but this is Tiger we're talking about and he did just that. Once on the green I knew he'd make it, so I was ticked off in that I either had to check back into the hotel and make arrangements to delay a day or I would have to somehow tune into the match on the way home to Utah the next day. When Westwood missed his birdie I decided that I needed to get back, and after Tiger made his and tied up the score I had already made the decision. Not that I didn't rethink it several times on the way back to Qualcomm and my car. But no; I drove back up to LA and helped get Leslie and the kids packed.
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