Week 24 Recap

Rael also won the 2nd Half title (Wks 11–20), making him the only player to win two titles this year besides Orlando Flores. He collects $200 from the season pool: $170 for the championship plus $30 for the 2nd half.

This was the matchup the handicaps said would be close. Dean came in at hcp 2, the lowest in the final four, and Rael at hcp 9, so Rael got a stroke on seven of the nine holes. Dean had to beat him by nearly a stroke a hole in gross to come out ahead. He shot 43 gross to Rael's 49, six strokes better but one short of the seven he needed just to tie on net.

The match turned on the opening hole. Dean made a 7 on the par-4 1st, the second-hardest hole on the course. Rael also made 7, but his stroke gave him net 6 and the hole. On the par-3 2nd, where nobody gets a stroke, Rael made a 4 to Dean's 5 and went two up. Dean steadied with pars on 3, 4 and 5, but Rael's strokes matched him each time to halve all three. Rael took the 6th with his stroke to go three up through six.

Dean fought back. He won the 7th outright, 5 to 6, halved the 8th, and won the par-5 9th when Rael made 7. That left the holes 5–4 in Rael's favor after four halves. Rael's net 40 beat Dean's 41 for the low-net point, and the final was 6–4.

If Dean had made par on the 1st instead of 7, he would have won that hole, and with it the match 6–4. One hole decided the title.

Andy Dean scored the most match points of anyone in the playoffs: 25.0 across four rounds (7.5, 6.0, 7.5, 4.0). Rael won the title with 23.5. Match play rewards winning each round, not piling up points.

Nicholson finished the way he played all postseason: with the low net score on the course. His 48 gross was net 39, three better than Jaramillo's 42, and he won five holes to Jaramillo's three. The 4th and 5th went each way on pickups. Jaramillo picked up on the 4th despite getting a stroke there, and Nicholson picked up on the 5th. Nicholson controlled the rest, taking the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 7th before the two halved the 9th.

🚀 Kevin Nicholson's postseason: through the play-in, then net 32, 34, 39, 39. He knocked out the #2 and #7 seeds and finished 3rd from the last spot in the bracket.

Dennis Candelaria showed up at UNM North to watch the field tee off, then left for a colleague's retirement party after congratulating Todd on the way out. Sewell takes the consolation title and 9th place. After an R1 exit against Nicholson, he beat Jason Maxwell with a net 35 in consolation play.

Wins on the 1st, 2nd and 6th and halves on the 3rd, 4th and 5th built a lead that Dean's late wins on the 7th and 9th couldn't erase.

Rael and Jaramillo finished the regular season tied at 96.0, and Jaramillo got the #5 seed on the tiebreaker. Rael ended up champion and Jaramillo 4th.

Net 38, 36, 37, 40. Nicholson posted flashier numbers, but Rael never had a bad round. Four rounds, four wins.

Nicholson's low net on Finals Night capped a postseason nobody saw coming. He came in through the play-in and leaves with bronze and $30 from the season pool.

That wraps NHGL's first season with a playoff. Thanks to everyone who teed it up across 20 weeks and four playoff rounds. See the final bracket and playoff stats for the full record.