Written by Beaux Yenchik, Manager of Media and Communications
BOISE, ID—The air loomed over TimberStone Golf Course with a certain heaviness as players began wrapping up their individual matches. Countenances were varied to the point that each victor walked off the green with what appeared to be a little pep in his step, while those who had lost their team valuable points, appeared as if a personal thundercloud lingered above their heads, ready to pour at any time. It was clearly evident that one team had a few more smiles than the other.
What was looking to have been a much closer competition after round one’s results turned quickly into one of the most lopsided wins in Carter Cup history. Team Rocky Mountain PGA had flexed its professionally-sized golf muscles while it routed Team Idaho Golf Association, 40.5-19.5.
“The competition [was] phenomenal,” said Joe Malay, Team IGA Captain.
The overall score would paint a plethora of stories in the minds of those who beheld it, allowing the imagination to run wild. It could be taken that Team IGA was simply outmatched and not as talented as Team Rocky Mountain, or that one team’s sticks went cold while the other’s stayed toasty warm throughout both days. Whatever the reasons may be, which could include the two reasons already listed, the overarching disparity between the two teams comes down to a single word: pride.
“The mentality [for my team] I would say is pride,” said Michael Kastner, Team Rocky Mountain PGA Captain. “These are our best players and they come here with a sense of pride, and they very much want to win and hold up their end of the bargain. That is just their mindset. They love to grind…The competitive juices flow and [they] just want to make it happen.”
It wasn’t long after the final pairing had reached its conclusion that Team Rocky Mountain PGA was shuffling its way back out into the cold for a team photo. The players were laughing and enjoying themselves. It was as if pride, the unofficial theme for the event, was the “11th Man” on the squad and in the middle of their make-shift circle. There was a certain confidence displayed as the team celebrated with “man-hugs” and a certain jockeying as players shared how many points they contributed to their team’s overall score.
“There is a comfort zone,” Malay said. “I think the pros are more comfortable in their position. They go into it with the idea that we are professionals, and we’ve taught these individuals.”
Nick Blasius, of Team Rocky Mountain PGA, hits his approach shot on the par-5 14th.
Just from those few moments alone, a total outsider would have been able to distinguish that the victors of the 2022 Carter Cup held a certain level of pride within themselves as individuals but as a collection of PGA Professionals — the very individuals who teach each of us the game of golf and all its little intricacies.
Though they aren’t playing on Sundays on CBS or NBC for a lucrative amount of money, golf is their livelihood. There is a reason why they turned professional and the rest of us didn’t.
”The IGA Team is filled with very talented, amateur players,” Kastner explained. “The only difference is over time our professionals are a little more hardened in tournament golf formats. While amateurs play a lot of tournament golf, they don’t necessarily live it like we do all the time. It’s important to realize that when you are an amateur and you are playing a professional, most guys are going to feel like I am an underdog…I think there is more probably more confidence with the professionals than the amateurs.”
As the opening round came to a close, the gap between Team IGA and Team Rocky Mountain PGA was only two points. The matches had gone back and forth all morning, and the two-some of Mike Hamblin and Nick Blasius took the lead back for Team PGA to finish the morning session with the lead — a lead they never again relinquished to their amateur foes.
Brian Swenson/Fran Matthias 0.5 - 2.5 Lance Rieber/Brady Nelson
Jason Azzarito/David Bishop 0 - 3 Justin Snelling/Travis Hofland
Bob Wheeler/Gilbert Livas 3 - 0 Jim Empey/Tyson Bowen
Nate Smith/Jeff Anderson 3 - 0 Ben Bryson/Tad Holloway
Scott Masingill/Austin French 0 - 3 Mike Hamblin/Nick Blasius
6.5 - 8.5
The afternoon foursome matches were a serious time of mourning for Team IGA. In what was standard golfing weather for Fall in Idaho and a format of play that favors PGA Professionals more so than amateurs due to experience, the moment may have been a bit too much for the second-place finishers.
Jason Azzarito, of Team IGA, watches his putt carefully on the par-3 13th.
For a sport usually based on the performance of a single individual, Team IGA struggled to gel like their opponents. It very well could have been the first time that some of these players ever met, let alone played with each other.
Not taking away from the caliber of players that the amateurs are by any stretch of the imagination, but it was clearly evident that experience, poise, connectivity, etc. were key factors in what led Team PGA to a lopsided win not only in the foursome matches but in general. With 15 points on the line, Team IGA scrounged together three and a half points to the professionals’ nine and a half.
David Bishop/Fran Matthias 2 - 1 Jim Empey/Mike Hamblin
Bob Wheeler/Brian Swenson 0 - 3 Justin Snelling/Tad Holloway
Scott Masingill/Jeff Anderson 0 - 3 Ben Bryson/Lance Rieber
Austin French/Gilbert Livas 0 - 3 Travis Hofland/Tyson Bowen
Jason Azzarito/Nate Smith 1.5 - 1.5 Brady Nelson/Nick Blasius
3.5 - 9.5
Round three’s singles matches showed somewhat of a push and some pride from Team IGA — not wanting to get completely shut out on the last day of the competition. The amateurs wanted to prove they could keep up with their local professionals and possibly steal a few points out from under their noses.
The charge, though unsuccessful, was led by the likes of former Korn Ferry Tour player Nate Smith for Team IGA — getting points in each of the three sessions for his team and earning a total of seven and a half points for them. His highlight, and maybe one for the team, was Smith’s hole out for the eagle during his singles match against Bryson on the back nine.
Scott Masingill 2 - 1 Tad Holloway
Fran Matthias 0 - 3 Mike Hamblin
Bob Wheeler 0 - 3 Jim Empey
Gilbert Livas 2 - 1 Travis Hofland
Brian Swenson 1.5 - 1.5 Lance Rieber
Austin French 0 - 3 Nick Blasius
Jeff Anderson 1 - 2 Brady Nelson
Nate Smith 3 - 0 Ben Bryson
David Bishop 0 - 3 Tyson Bowen
Jason Azzarito 0 - 3 Justin Snelling
9.5 - 20.5
With the next Carter Cup taking place in 2024, pros and amateurs alike are already looking forward to the next time these two teams can square off against each other. Team IGA will be hoping for some sweet revenge and a do-over following this year’s performance. Team Rocky Mountain PGA will look to show that unconquerable pride again as it hopes to keep the Carter Cup trophy in its unbreakable grasp.