[Editor’s note:  Destined to become a favorite photo, if I do say so myself, I captured Maggie Leland’s classic power swing teeing off on No. 3 during her semi-final match.  Senior men golfers have concluded that attempting to duplicate Maggie’s swing in terms of ease, balance, flexibility, and swing speed would result in us toppling off the side of the tee box and ending up in traction for about a month and a half.]

Coverage of the Resorters began August 5 (see toward bottom) – then we went on vacation.  We were not home for championship Saturday, so we will emphasize the matches we did follow.  The Echo Press and the Resorters newspapers gave full and complete coverage of all matches.  As an Alex Cardinal blogsite, however, we must give kudos to Ben Vangsness defeating fellow Cardinal Tyler Whiting for the men’s championship.   After following the women’s semis on Friday, we saw the last four holes of Ben’s quarterfinals – he made a birdie putt on 18 to send it into extra holes where he won (obviously) on the 19th.  He also defeated state wunderkind, Donald Constable, in the semis – Constable easily won last year’s title, was cruising again this year, and has been annointed by many as the state’s top amateur.

But enough about the guys.  We followed the women’s quarters for a bit on Thursday – because Alex sisters, Molly and Maggie Leland, were playing each other.  Time constraints reduced our coverage to only five holes – Maggie won, but Molly said she was happy with her play.  The next day, Maggie was in the semis against Augustana teammate (for both her and Molly), Emily Kvidera, of Ramsey.  Being the crack reporter than I am, I asked Molly how the match would go.  Molly said, “They always tie!  So it just depends on who makes some birdie putts.”  How prescient she was – through 17 holes they were tied, and as I recall, they were both even par for their rounds.  On No. 18, Emily hit her 2nd shot pin high, but just off the green.  Maggie knocked her 2nd shot to within 3-feet.  We thought the match was over.  And it was – just not in the manner anticipated!  Emily holed her putt from off the green for a birdie – and Maggie missed her putt.  That’s golf – but it was a great match.  Emily won the championship the next day.

And as someone who taken a lot of cheap abuse over the years from snowbirds about my emphasis on girls sports coverage, I took pride in the fact that about half the seniors mens’ league were on their carts following this match!  🙂

Meanwhile, back at the action:

Molly v. Maggie in the quarters:

Maggie v. Emily in the semis:

[Maggie courses manages – lays up to the top of the hill on No. 1.]

[Fans]

[Emily hitting from her usual position (totally unfamiliar to me) – the middle of the fairway on No. 3.  Note where Maggie is standing by her drive.]

[Maggie on No. 4 – no doubt embarrassed to be using the white tees there.]

[The results of their drives on No. 4.]

[Maggie’s drive and 2nd shot on No. 6.]

[Crazy Dave displays gams under the water cooler.]

[Barb and Roger Riley follow Maggie’s tee shot on No. 7 – about 6 feet left of the pin.  Emily knocked hers stiff.  Two birdies.]

[Maggie’s 2nd on No. 8.]

[The Fourth Estate.  Echo Press editor, Al Edenloff, covering the Resorters at the 9th green for the blog’s local competition.]

[Amanda Woodhull, in the other semi, out of the trap on No. 9.  Like Maggie, can hit the ball into another zip code – just not as consistently.]

[2nd shots on No. 10 – not too shabby!]

[Barb and Roger follow Maggie’s tee ball on No. 11.]

[No. 11]

[Maggie on No. 13.  By now word was spreading -half the senior men’s league was in attendance.]

[Maggie’s 2nd on No. 15 – about the same spot the championship guys hit from, and there is maybe a 15 yard difference between the tees on that hole.]

[Maggie and Emily on No. 17.  I just missed the top when both of them were using their yardage finders – everybody uses them now.]

[Maggie’s 2nd shot on No. 18.  Emily walking up the fairway – they are tied at this point.]

[After Emily made her birdie putt from off the green, Maggie missed hers.  Uffda!  But a terrific match – and Emily went on to win the title the next day.]

[A post in progress . . . began August 5.]

[Al Grundei captured the cub reporter covering the Resorters.  I am thankful Al’s camera appeared to have been suffering from excessive dewpoint disease.]

We had some interesting match-ups yesterday – Alaska cruise partners and fellow AGCers, Crazy Dave and Mary Owen, and Don and Berle Waldeland have grandsons playing in the same flight.  And the Owens’ grandson, Danny, was playing Tom Lehman’s son, Tom.  Danny pulled off a close 2 – 1 victory – we maintained a healthy neutrality as friends of the grandparents on both sides.  The Waldeland’s grandson, Eric, also won yesterday which sets up the possibility of Danny and Eric meeting for the flight championship (I believe?).  Also of interest yesterday was another meeting of Alexandria’s Leland sisters in the championship flight.  They are teammates at Augustana – Molly will be a senior and Maggie will be be a sophomore.

[Molly (light orange top) and Maggie (bright pink top) relaxing with friends before their match.  I chastised them for not arranging to meet for the championship rather than the quarter finals.  (Editor’s note:  Don’t blame me if I got their colors wrong – I consulted with the supervisor regarding the matter.)]

[Young Tom Lehman on No. 9.  His dad had caddied for him earlier in the week but then had his own tournament to play – he took 2nd in 3M Championship in Blaine.  Her young Tom’s mom, Melissa, is the caddy.]

We received a nice surprise at SAWA last night.  Our regular Thursday night music date – last night starring Emergency Stop (Terry Kennedy and Al Lieffort) -was enhanced by a late arrival by Sami Steidl.  Sami had just received a gift violin from Tunesy Foslien (pictured with me at the winery in 2005) and wanted to give it a try with the boys.  So, I was able to get a couple of videos:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ruthobert#p/a/u/1/E2OKllQtOmg  [Here joined by Connie Lee on vocals.]

http://www.youtube.com/user/ruthobert#p/a/u/0/Oggj50J7Fic