SAN LUIS OPISPO, Calif. (Nov. 17, 2013) -- Going into this year's Straight Down Fall Classic, one would have expected Kevin Marsh and Jason Gore to have a great showing given the year Marsh has had and the talent Gore possesses.
That much was true following Sunday's final round as the duo took home a five-shot victory over the field at San Luis Obispo Golf Course.
After starting Sunday's final round one shot back to the team of Paul Stankowski and Brad Payne, Gore and Marsh went on a tear and birdied holes 3 through 7 to go from 10-under to 15-under.
Gore and Marsh birdied both of the par 5s on the back nine to move to 17 under and widen the gap to 4 shots back --- and never looked back in a dominating final round.
On the final hole, Jason Gore rolled in a 12-footer for birdie to get them back to 17 under and five shots up on the field. It was the perfect ending to a fantastic final round and weekend at the 17th annual Fall Classic.
Two groups ahead of the final pairing was Tom Lehman and his son Thomas, who were playing with Brandel Chamblee and Jim Strickland. On the par 5 10th, the Lehman duo shared a great moment when Thomas rolled in an uphill sliding eagle putt from 35 feet . He celebrated with a big fist pump and a high five from dad.
There was a three-way tie for second at 12-under with Stankowski/Payne, Fred Couples/Brad Shaw, and Mark Madson/Brent Brockmeyer.
Couples was followed all day by the largest gallery on the course and they witnessed seven birdies and a bogey by the pair. Madson/Brockmeyer had what was probably the best back nine of the day with a closing 30. They went birdie, eagle, birdie, a string of pars, birdie on 16 and birdie on 18 in front of a packed house. That stellar back side helped them wrap up the low round for club pros. Madson is the assistant pro at Lakeside and Brockmeyer is their reigning club champ.
Jason Gore stated that the course was great, but what makes the tournament is all the wonderful people that put it on and come support it. The nature of the tournament is what he really enjoyed.
"It makes golf fun again," he said. "This tournament shows you it is still a game and you can have fun. It is refreshing to step away from the day to day grind of the tour."
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ABOUT THE Straight Down Fall Classic
Annual invitational event sponsored by apparel
manufacturer Straight Down and supported
by sponsor companies from the California
Central Coast.
Format is one pro, paired with one amateur
-- pros are PGA Club pros and members of
various professional tours with enough "big
names" to bring out thousands of spectators.
And the spectators are rewarded with up-
close access normally not found at a PGA
Tour event. The
ALS Foundation was named as the
designated beneficiary in 2009.
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