Underdogs Bite Again as Sewell's Net 37 Leads Tuesday
Week 6 at UNM North belonged to the long shots. Four of the six live matches went to the lower-ranked player, and the biggest scalp was Thomas Jaramillo, whose three-match winning streak ended at the hands of Doug Baird. Todd Sewell posted the night's low net with a tidy gross 42, net 37, while Jeff Hunt took low gross with a 41. Nobody made a birdie all night, and the double-bogey column was busy enough to need its own scorekeeper. Through it all, Orlando Flores still sits on top, by the narrowest of margins.
Harvey 6.5, Kardas 3.5
Brit Harvey carded a season-best gross 49, and yes, that included doubles on four of the first five holes. Jeff Kardas opened with three straight doubles of his own, so the early holes were a race to see who could stop the bleeding first. Harvey took hole 1, then won Nos. 5, 6 and 8 on the way to a net 38 and a solid upset of the ninth-ranked Kardas. Ugly start, good finish, points in the bag.
Baird 5.5, Jaramillo 4.5
Doug Baird came in ranked 15th, doubled seven holes, and still beat the No. 2 player in the league. That works when your opponent doubles five of the first six, and Thomas Jaramillo did exactly that, handing Baird holes 1, 4, 5 and 6. Baird's net 40 beat Jaramillo's 44 for the low-net point. Jaramillo saved his best for last, winning hole 9 and draining the longest putt of the night there for $65. That should cover the first round while he explains the streak.
Hunt 7.5, Maxwell 2.5
Jeff Hunt shot the night's low gross, a 41, and gave four strokes to fifth-ranked Jason Maxwell without much trouble. Hunt won holes 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8, and Maxwell's doubles on seven holes made sure no comeback ever got going. Maxwell did pick off Nos. 3 and 5, but net 47 against net 39 was never going to be close. Hunt jumped five spots in the standings for his trouble.
Rains 6, Pehr 4
The heavyweight bout between Nos. 3 and 4 went to Jimmie Rains, who took 11 strokes and used them well. He won the first two holes and Nos. 7 and 8, with Tom Pehr's three straight middle-hole wins on 3, 5 and 6 sitting in between. Pehr's gross 45 was the better ball-striking, but doubles on 7 and 9 let Rains finish with net 39 to Pehr's 41.
Sewell 6.5, Olson 3.5
Todd Sewell was the most composed player on the property, with one double, on hole 4, in a gross 42, net 37 round. Joe Olson grabbed holes 4 and 8, but Sewell won 1, 5, 6 and the closing hole to stretch his winning streak to three.
Jaramillo's card 6, Flores 4
Orlando Flores played Jaramillo's card and got off fast, winning holes 1, 2, 4 and 6. Doubles on 3, 5 and 7 opened the door, though, and Jaramillo's card took 3, 7 and 9 to win 6–4. The league leader's gross 44 at scratch kept him in front, but only just.
Winters 6, Rael 4
Sean Winters started the night ranked last and won anyway. Five of the first six holes were halved, Paul Rael edged ahead on No. 7, and then Winters won 8 and 9 to finish with net 39 to Rael's 41. That was a strong close from the bottom of the table.
Around the league
Flores leads with 36 points, one ahead of Jaramillo at 35, with Pehr at 34, Rains at 33.5 and Sewell, up a spot, at 31.5. That's a five-man logjam with 14 weeks still to play, so nobody should be ordering trophies yet. Hunt was the big climber, from 12th to 7th, and Rael somehow rose from 10th to 8th despite the loss. Dennis Candelaria slid from 7th to 10th and Brian Shields from 8th to 11th. Jaramillo's streak is over at three, Sewell's is alive at three, and the only money in the pot, $65 for the longest putt on hole 9, went to Jaramillo. Next Tuesday somebody please make a birdie.