Tavistock Cup – Day 2
Day 2 at the Tavistock Cup saw Team Lake Nona dominate the play and capture its third consecutive win and fourth World Golf and Country Club Championship title in the tournament’s eight-year history. A score of 43-under par saw Team Lake Nona overtake Team Isleworth on their home turf in the singles stroke-play format.
As the low medalist for Day Two, Lake Nona’s Oliver Wilson helped lead his team to victory with a score of -7 (65) and he took home the Payne Stewart Salver Award and the $200,000 prize. Team Isleworth’s Robert Allenby was runner-up with a score of -6 (66).
Team Albany came in 16 shots behind Lake Nona at 27-under par while Isleworth came in third place with a score of 25-under par. Queenwood finished fourth at 18-under par. Team Lake Nona’s Graeme McDowell won the closest to the pin challenge on Hole 2, Team Queenwood’s David Howell on Hole 5, Team Isleworth’s Stuart Appleby on Hole 11 and Team Queenwood’s Adam Scott on Hole 15.
It was my first visit to the Tavistock Cup and I have to say it was very refreshing to see the players competing hard but also having some fun and entertaining the crowd a lot more than you’d normally find at such a golf event. There was none of that stuffy nose in the air atmosphere that you might have expected from such an event and the gallery was as laid back as the players.
Sure, there was some friendly country club rivalry thrown into the mix but nothing that suggested this event was only reserved for the elite of society. Spectators were allowed to get close to the players and while there were some ropes and marshals around the tees and greens, it was possible to walk the fairways with no real concerns about security, taking pictures or even having the odd cell phone conversation as long as you were mindful of normal golf etiquette.
It was also nice to see the players families along for the fun and some of the youngsters actually made the event more down to earth and relaxing as they made a beeline for the 18th flag or the bunker surrounding the same green. Rounding things off was a nice simple presentation ceremony as Tracey Stewart presented the Payne Stewart Salver Award to Oliver Wilson before the Tavistock Cup was handed over for safe keeping for a year to Team Nona.
The annual two-day tournament will be held at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club next year in March and it is hoped that there may even be six teams in the mix as the tournament grows. It’s a date you should put in your diary… here’s some vid…
