Bunker mentality: Will Rehberg's hole-out for eagle finally delivers the Underwood Cup to pros
Will Rehberg was battling sand demons.
If that sounds like the Deerwood Country Club assistant pro woke up in the middle of a futuristic horror film it felt like that to him, too.
“I wasn’t putting on a bunker clinic,” he said of his Underwood Cup singles match on Tuesday at the San Jose Country Club against Nate Mosby, during which he lost one hole and halved another after blading bunker shots well past the hole. “I’ve had some demons this week. [Caddie] Adam [Hoffman] just told me to get the ball out and we’d figure out the putt.”
They didn’t have to worry about the last part.
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With Mosby marked from 15 feet out for birdie and poised to erase a 1-down deficit, Rehberg holed out for eagle at the par-5 17th hole to deliver the clinching point for the Northern Chapter PGA team as they snapped a six-match losing streak and won the 32nd edition of the Underwood Cup for the first time since 2016, 14.5-9.5.
Rehberg blasted his ball about three-quarters of the way to the hole, and it tracked across the green the rest of the way, slamming into the hole.
Rehberg jumped out of the bunker and embraced Hoffman. Most of his teammates and the captains – except for three who were still playing – exploded with a huge cheer and mobbed Rehberg on the green, the pent-up result of the past half-dozen losses, most by lopsided scores.
Afterward, several apologized to Mosby for the celebration.
“I was like, ‘are you crazy?’” Mosby said. “They didn’t need to apologize. They should enjoy it.”
The shot capped a day of ebbs and flows after the two teams tied 6-6 in Monday’s doubles matches. The amateurs, as defending champions, needed only six points to retain the Underwood Cup while the pros needed to win 6.5.
Each team won two early matches. Jennifer Borocz beat Len Schonfeld 5 and 4 to become the only player to go 3-0 for the week and Taylor Davis topped Kirk Irvin 7 and 6 for the pros; and Jeff Golden defeated Mitchell Haley 5 and 4 and Duke Butler IV beat Jeff Hanson 6 and 5 for the amateurs.
A halve between pro Aaron Russell and amateur Jake Posze left the pros in the lead, 9.5-8.5
At that point, there were six matches with the outcomes still in doubt on the course. But the tide quickly turned in the pros’ favor.
They took the lead for good when Rob Lee defeated Mark Spencer 3 and 2 and Josh Wolfe beat Mike Smith 2-up. That put them one point away from clinching the Cup and Rehberg delivered the shot pro captain Tim Peterson said, “would be talked about 20 years from now.”
Rehberg pounded a good drive at the 17th but his second shot drifted into the bunker. Mosby laid up, then dropped a wedge to the left of the hole.
Hoffman had one bit of advice for Rehberg.
“He was blading the bunker shots so I told him open his feet up and make sure he took it back steep,” he said.
“That was pretty neat,” Peterson said. “Sometimes you need one signature moment and I was thrilled for Will to do it. But everybody played well.”
Borocz, one of four pro players in the Underwood Cup for the first time, said the victory was important for the Northern Chapter PGA, which has run the event since 1992.
“It’s pretty cool to be able to join forces with your friends and your opponents,” she said. “This event has a long history and I’ve been involved from an administrative standpoint. To be able to play in my first one was pretty special. I think this might be the changing of the tide. We’ve got a bunch of guys and gals who are eager to compete and win.”
32nd Underwood Cup
At San Jose Country Club
Professionals 14.5, Amateurs 9.5
Four-Ball
Jeff Golden-Duke Butler IV (A) d. Taylor Davis-Mitchell Haley (P) 5 and 3.
Jake Etherton-Josh Wolfe (P) d. Chris Henderson-Steve Carter (A) 2-up.
Stephanie Connelly-Eiswerth-Jeff Hanson (P) d. Kirk Irvin-Len Schonfeld (A) 2-up.
Jennifer Borocz-Hayes Farley (P) d. Toby Ragland-Kevin McDonald (A) 1-up.
Mark Spencer-Jake Posze (A) d. Aaron Russell-Gerry James (P) 1-up.
Michael Smith-Nate Mosby (A) d. Will Rehberg-Rob Lee (P) 2 and 1.
Foursomes
Spencer-Posze (A) d. Russell-Haley (P) 5 and 4.
Ragland-Smith (A) d. Connelly-Eiswerth-Hanson (P) 3 and 2.
Davis-James (P) d. Mosley-McDonald (A) 2 and 1.
Borocz-Farley (P) d. Carter-Irvin (A) 3 and 2.
Henderson-Golden (A) d. Wolfe-Etherton (P) 2 and 1.
Lee-Rehberg (P) d. Schoenfeld-Butler IV (A) 1-up.
Singles
Golden (A) d. Haley (P) 5 and 4.
Russell (P) halved Posze (A).
Connelly-Eiswerth (P) d. Ragland (A) 3 and 1.
Butler IV (A) d. Hanson (P) 6 and 5.
Lee (P) d. Spencer (A) 3 and 2.
Davis (P) d. Irvin (A) 7 and 6.
Wolfe (P) d. Smith (A) 2-up.
Borocz (P) d. Schoenfeld (A) 5 and 4.
Rehberg (P) d. Mosby (A) 2 and 1.
Farley (P) halved Carter (A).
Etherton (P) d. McDonald (A) 4 and 3.
James (P) halved Henderson (A).
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Trapped no more: Will Rehberg's bunker shot delivers Underwood Cup to pro team
