This time last year a less than optimistic Liam Butler sent his out-of-form Pompey Strollers into the US Open and no one was more surprised than him when they won £578,250 between them, securing him a four-ball at Mount Juliet.
Liam had the winner Lee Janzen, runner-up Payne Stewart, Tom Lehman and Steve Stricker, who tied for fifth, in his line-up, and promptly leapt from 6,830th place to 505th. So, Liam picked three pals and set off from Birr, Co Offaly for Mount Juliet and had, we trust, a grand day out. Should David Pollitt succeed Liam as our leading manager at the US Open (not forgetting the Moroccan Open counts this week too) his trip to Kilkenny will, however, be just a tad more gruelling. David lives in Brisbane. Australia.
"I am sending this polo shirt begging letter on behalf of Dave, team manager of Matilda, who came 13th in week 13 on your weekly leader-board. As he lives in Brisbane, I believe he deserves a polo shirt for two reasons: one, for being the most distant (known) manager competing and secondly, if he were to win a four-ball he would not be able to make it to Mount Juliet as the commute would take to long."
So wrote Patrick Lambe, David's Irish-based assistant manager, who has the job of e-mailing the latest Golf Masters' results and statistics to David and two other friends, one in London and one in Oxford, each week.
"If by chance you could see it in your hearts to send two shirts I promise one will get to Dave, and the other I will hold as the first prize for our side bet, and will present it to the winner at the end of the competition. I am fully confident I will triumph over my team-mates, so do not anticipate travelling far to make the presentation." Polo shirts in the post.
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