Rumble Competition Digest
The World Cup Of Golf?
Two years ago, the World Cup was one for the ages. We witnessed a dramatic final match where Lionel Messi finally won a World Cup, a U.S. team that made it to the knockout round, and golf-like geopolitical controversy with the host country of Qatar.
Next month Australia and New Zealand host the Women’s World Cup, which CNN reported will be the most attended women’s sporting event in history.
The format of the World Cup starts with group play. There are eight groups consisting of four teams where the objective is simple -- win your group. Each team plays the other three teams in their group once, and points are earned for match wins and ties.
Can this World Cup format work in golf? Absolutely.
Chicago Rumble 2023
The Chicago Rumble this past weekend at Belmont Golf Club (formerly Downers Grove Country Club) saw the second time the World Cup format was played.
This year, it featured four groups of two-person teams playing three 9-hole matches throughout the day.
“It’s a long day. You have to play three matches and 9-hole matches are always tough,” Summer Medal 2022 champion Kyle Smith told NewClub. “I enjoyed the World Cup format. Even if you lose the first match, you still have a chance in the next two. Then the best teams of the day get to compete at the end.”
Group play didn’t disappoint with tight matches across every group with incredible shots all across the board.
Nathan Draheim (teamed up with Chase Palmer) chipped in from the front of the green on the par-3 eighth hole to close the match against Harry Leipsitz and Joey Carr.
Matt Simpson (teamed with Mark Misch) holed out on the short par-4 fifth hole from 105 yards out. The ball one-hopped by the flag and spun back into the cup, which was described as “very tour professional quality” by eventual Rumble repeat champion Joe Shroyer. “It was fun to watch but bittersweet because it was an automatic loss of the hole for us.”
Drama on the last hole
Eventual Rumble champions Joe Shroyer and Chris Mullins had to win the 27th hole of their third group match against John Ballou and Bill Colbert to secure their spot in the knockout.
Joe and Chris were 1-down going into that last hole, the 9th at Belmont, a reachable par 5. But they had the tiebreaker (most holes remaining after closing out winning matches) and Chris had a stroke for his handicap.
Chris used it wisely. He made par, 5 for 4, and sent his team to the knockout stage.
An exciting end to the group play for Joe and Chris, but that wasn’t the only action they saw.
“We were playing David Shafer and Lance Myers in our second match. David was in the woods left on number 7 and Lance was 10-20 yards in front of him watching. I don’t know exactly what happened to David’s shot, but it made a beeline right for Lance’s head,” Joe told the editorial team. “Lance made an impressive and quite flexible drop to the ground to avoid that ball hitting him. It might have been the most impressive thing I saw all day quite frankly.”
Alt-shot knockout playoff
The final knockout round format was two-person alternate shot where the lowest score wins.
In the first hole, all teams were able to make bogey -- several different ways.
“Off the first tee of the knockout playoff, I was just nervous not to shank it,” said Kyle Smith (teamed up with Chicago Vice Captain Lauren Moy) who sent off his tee shot well right. “My nerves probably came through because it was the only shot I hit right the whole day.”
Lauren would then hit a great shot over the trees just off the back. They were then able to two-putt for bogey.
Joe and Chris had an adventurous bogey after hitting the trees on their second shot. Chase Palmer and Nathan Draheim were just unable to get up and down for par from the front of the green.
Chicago Captain Tom McCartney (teamed with Andrew Luttrell) had a chance to win with a lightning-fast 3-foot downhill right-to-left slider. It just lipped out.
Ever since Andrew laid eyes on the Rumble championship belt last year at Eagle Springs in Wisconsin, he wanted it. Next year, Andrew. Next year.
The 3-wood heard ‘round the world
With all four group winners moving to the second knockout hole, it wasn’t clear who would emerge the winner. Nerves seemed to be a factor. Off the second hold tee, there were two shots in the water, one in the fairway, and one hosel rocket.
“Right before my tee shot, a few NewClub members asked me if I was going with the 2 iron again,” said Chris Mullins before his unfortunate shank. “I said ‘Oh yeah, it’s old faithful and my go-to fairway finder!’ Then I begged it to keep going right.”
But Chris’ wayward shot set up Joe Shroyer’s 3-wood heard ‘round the world.
“We were sitting in the rough about 280 yards from the hole and I didn't have a very good lie,” recalled Joe. “It was going to come out well or go right into the water in front of me.”
Chris was confident in his partner but the difficulty of the shot was clear. “I can’t describe how intimidating that shot was,” he said. “It was a forced carry-over water. I think he had 280 or so to the green and just a narrow spot between two trees.”
Joe stepped up and hit a shot of a lifetime. It lasered out of the rough straight at the green, ending up right at the front.
The gallery erupted in cheers.”
Chris recalled, “I made a joke with Joe that his 3-wood and JT’s at Erin Hills (at the 2017 U.S. Open) are some of the best 3-woods I've ever seen.”
“I would call that shot one of the best 3-woods I’ve hit in my time golfing,” said Joe.
Kyle put it most simply: “That 3 wood that Joe hit was amazing.”
Joe isn’t a stranger to the Rumble. He also won in 2022 at Eagle Springs. Asked about the feeling of the repeat, Joe said, “I thought we were going to be out of it in the first hole, so it was a bit of relief. We managed to hang on by the skin of our teeth. It’s always fun to play against friends and fellow NewClub members.”
We also asked Chris what he thought about the event after winning his first Chapter event: “I think it's the perfect amount of competitiveness, nervy but also kept it light.”
Next up, this World Cup format goes to the Atlanta Chapter for the Hooch this Saturday at Chattahoochee Golf Club.
Rumble 2023 Tournament Summary
Competition format:
World Cup format, 2-person teams
Group winners:
Chris Mullins/Joe Shroyer, Andrew Luttrell/Tom McCartney, Kyle Smith/Lauren Moy, Chase Palmer/Nathan Draheim
Champions:
Chris Mullins/Joe Shroyer (repeat champion from 2022)
Standings:
Group A
Chris Mullins/Joe Shroyer -- 2.0 pts*
Bill Colbert/John Ballou -- 2.0 pts
Matt Simpson/Mark Misch -- 1.5 pts
David Shafer/Lance Myers -- 0.5 pts
Group B
Lauren Moy/Kyle Smith -- 2.5 pts
Joe Kordesich/Tom Fleming -- 2.0 pts
Brian Esktrom/Keenan Bigg -- 1.0 pts
Kevan Sloan/Tim McCarthy -- 0.5 pts
Group C
Chase Palmer/Nathan Draheim -- 2.0 pts*
Nick Kopp/Brock Neighbors -- 2.0 pts
Harry Leipsitz/Joey Carr -- 1.0 pts
John Paciorek/Luke Zebala - 1.0 pts
Group D
Tom McCartney/Andrew Luttrell -- 2.5 pts*
Jennifer Powers/Bill Seitz -- 2.5 pts
David White/Shaun Dunne -- 0.5 pts
Andrew Weikle/Van Allison -- 0.5 pts
*Held tiebreaker of most holes left after closing out winning matches