AT FIRST he was Mr Anonymous and without a team name but after a little investigating this week’s Golf Masters winner turned out to be Pat Corby, a veteran manager for over a decade who took his time returning to the winner’s circle.
Such were the demands on Pat to get the right team selection and registered on time, the Stillorgan resident missed several key nuggets of information at the start of the season.
“It’s about 11 years since I last spoke to The Irish Times, regarding the same issue as it goes, so that tells you how long I’ve waited to win another Golf Masters prize,” explained Pat, a true stalwart of the game.
When Team 32813 was finally tracked down to Pat we also found out his intended team name is a rather innovative Fourandthree. The play on words could be reference to the matchplay result but was most certainly pertinent to this week’s selection as four of his troops did the business and three, well, let’s just say they didn’t bring much to the table.
Pat’s four picked up big points both sides of the Atlantic as he had last week’s Greenbrier Classic runner-up Jeff Overton, while Chris Wood (tied 3rd) and Paul McGinley (tide 14th) returned well in Killarney. Oh, yes, and to top it off, he also had a certain Mr Ross Fisher, who earned him a bonus €150,000 for denying our very own Pádraig Harrington by the banks of Lough Leane.
The quartet’s haul of €364,625 against his three of Trevor Immelman, Bo Van Pelt and Richard Finch (€17,375) was massive. Or put another way, the first part of Fourandthree accounted for almost 95 per cent of Pat’s earnings this week.
“I play Golf Masters every year – never miss it – and it’s good to get back into the winner’s circle. Looking at my team I knew I had a good week but didn’t expect to come first,” added the Coollattin Golf Club member, who recently brought Overton in because of his €0.7 million value and consistency.
Pat, along with the other 426 who had Overton in the ranks, may have woke up last Monday morning and choked on their cornflakes upon reading their man was gazumped by Stuart Appleby’s closing 59, whereas the 409 who had the Australian must have been reaching for the buck’s fizz.
As for Killarney, Pat, like the 86 others with Fisher in the ranks, endured an uncomfortable Sunday afternoon with heart fighting the head.
“It was divided loyalties alright with Ross on the team but my heart wanting Pádraig to win, I’ve been a great supporter of him over the years,” says Pat, surely echoing the 934 Harrington managers willing “Houdini” to another win on home soil.
In a bonus week Pat’s €382,000 was impressive but he was closely pursued by Derek Wickham’s Penha Longo Atlantico in second €370,750. Derek also had the Fisher, Wood, Overton axis plus defending Irish Open champion Shane Lowry in tow, but in the end, Pat scooped the fourball at Druids Heath and the Nike polo shirt.
“I haven’t been figuring anywhere in the overall standings, having a poor year in that respect so it’s nice to do well in the weekly competition,” concluded a happy, no longer anonymous, Pat Corby.
