Stunning comeback victory at Member-Guest

NORWICH – Tom Ryan and his nephew Matt were hiding far down on the leaderboard Saturday at the Canasawacta Country Club member-guest tournament. They came out seeking on Saturday...seeking birdies.

The Ryans, buried near the bottom of the 12-team Masters Flight, completed the greatest comeback victory since the inception of stroke play to capture the 48th annual event.

“We were thinking about new blood winning this tournament, and these two were not a part of that new blood we were thinking about,” admitted C.C.C. head professional David Branham. “This was about as popular win as any team in this tournament.”

Languishing at even par after two rounds and tied for eighth out of championship dozen, all eyes were fixed on leaders Mike Branham and Bob Branham, who were bidding for a second title in three years. Also, the pairing of Tim Carson and Scott Seiler appeared a strong favorite just one shot behind the Branhams, while 2004 champions Doug Wilson-Joe Gutosky, and up-and-comers Tom Muserilli-Mike Conklin had realistic shots at a title with only three strokes to make up.

None of the aforementioned teams made a real dent in their scorecards, and only Wilson-Gutosky managed to hold at even par through the first nine holes.

Meanwhile, several groups ahead, the Ryans were collecting birdies like a squirrel collects nuts. After scrambling for par on the first hole, Matt stuck his wedge to 30 inches on the par-three second for the first of the team’s nine birdies on the day. Birdies followed on the third, fifth, and six holes until a slip-up bogey on seven. Still, the team regrouped quickly as Tom birdied the eighth hole. It was the type of beginning to the final round they could only have dreamed about.

“We’re were talking the night before with Kenny Stewart, and said, ‘what do we have to lose?’ Let’s go out and shoot a low number; you never know what will happen.” Tom Ryan said.

The progress this pairing made in just three years together is startling to say the least. The first season the duo fell short of the Masters flight. Last year, after an opening-round 66, the two shared the first-round lead and went on to finish fifth. Saturday completed the upswing.

“I didn’t think we had a prayer before the round,” Matt said. “Even if we went low, like a 64, we thought the groups ahead of us would be under par. “The 63 still hasn’t really sunk in yet.”

It wasn’t until the 15th hole, when the duo was already at 7-under-par for the tournament, that they caught wind of their contender status. The two promptly bogeyed the number two handicap hole on the course to fall back to 6-under-par for the tournament.

Behind them, the Branhams had failed to make a run and were at 4-under-par after 12 holes, while Carson and Seiler shared the Branhams’ four-under status. Seiler had an opportunity at an eagle putt on the par-five 13th hole for a share of the lead. He ran the putt by about six feet, and ending up three-putting for par. “That was the story of our tournament,” Seiler said afterward.

The usually unflappable Branham duo never made it easy on themselves, and even a birdie-four on 13 that put them one shot off the lead needed a full circle around the cup before dropping in. Over the last five holes, the Branhams failed to birdie a hole. “We didn’t have a real good day putting the ball,” Bob Branham said. “Good for them (The Ryans).”