Eastern Operators Battle in Annual Grudge Match

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29 September 2015

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Mount Sunapee's Bruce McCloy and Jay Gamble proudly display their "trophy" on a Pats Peak-mobile.

SAM Magazine—Newbury, N.H., Sept.

Mount Sunapee's Bruce McCloy and Jay Gamble proudly display their "trophy" on a Pats Peak-mobile.

SAM Magazine—Newbury, N.H., Sept. 29, 2015—Golf lore is filled with a number of classic slugfests played out on the greens, like the 1949 Motor City Open between Cary Middlecoff and Lloyd Mangrum, or the 1981 Million Dollar Challenge between Johnny Miller and Seve Ballesteros. And who could forget the playoff duke-out between Tiger Woods and Ernie Els at the 2000 Mercedes Championships?

Yet another chapter was recently added as resort executives at New Hampshire's Mount Sunapee and Pats Peak battled it out in their Annual Golf Grudge Match Sept. 28. The stakes: The losing team has to display the winning resort's bumper sticker on its company vehicles for 30 days following the match.

In this year's hard-fought contest, Mount Sunapee general manager Jay Gamble and marketing director Bruce McCloy took on Pats Peak general manager Kris Blomback and former marketing director Doug Peel. It was a seesaw match, with Pats jumping out to a lead at the beginning of the front nine. Sunapee battled back and took a two point-lead into the back nine as rain began to fall.

With so much at stake, tensions ran high on the final holes. On the 18th green, both Blomback and Peel missed putts that would have put away the match. Mount Sunapee won two points, forcing the match into sudden death.

As the tension mounted, Gamble and McCloy had to make putts on the 19th hole to avoid losing a point. On the 20th hole, both Blomback and Peel missed the fairway, and both members of team Sunapee were on the green in two. Sunapee earned two points to finally put the match away.

The series stands at six wins for Mount Sunapee and three wins for Pats Peak. In a new twist, though, it should be noted that all parties walked away winners, as everyone received a lifetime miniMIX pass.