2010 Ides Brings Tough Field of Competitors

by Quetzel Miller III

As any highly anticipated AGA Major tournament, last weekend's holding of The Ides was a showcase of stellar play and low scores. The feature group of the event was the threesome of Chris Archibald, Thom Archibald and Jim Archibald, who, as the only true contenders throughout the day, also sometimes made it seem that they were the only ones in the field.

The day started with large ovations from the crowd as the threesome approached the first tee, but would only grow in intensity throughout the day, despite the absence of defending champion Edward, who is on a 2-year hiatus from the Tour as he focuses his efforts on a mission for the LDS Church.

On the first hole, Chris narrowly missed his birdie attempt after a short wedge approach, while Jim 2-putted his way to a birdie from the middle of the green. Thom left himself 15 feet for eagle after cutting a 4-iron around a tree in the right rough on his second shot, landing it softly on the green, then rolled in the putt to jump into the lead, which he would never ultimately relinquish. Jim tied the lead with a lengthy birdie at the third, but dropped one behind Thom again with a bogey on the fifth. Thom and Jim both birdied the ninth, which left Thom at -2 and Jim at -1. Chris was at +3, seemingly drifting out of contention after the first nine holes.

The back nine began to bring the players closer, as Chris birdied 10 and Jim and Thom both bogeyed. Jim rebounded with a birdie at the eleventh to tie for the lead again at -1, and Chris made up another shot with a birdie at the twelfth, leaving him only 2 shots behind the lead.

The drama then unfolded on the thirteenth, as Thom's ball narrowly missed the left water, leaving him a short shot into the green. His approach ended 12 feet from the hole, which gave him his second eagle of the round and a two shot lead. Jim followed a bogey on 14 with a tap-in birdie on 15. Thom parred the remaining holes, proving to stave off any lead changes.

Thom finished with a 3 under 69, 3 shots clear of Jim (72), and 4 clear of Chris (73).

"I really thought I could pull it off there on the back nine," said Chris, who birdied three of the first four holes on the back nine to mount his charge on the leaders. "It just didn't come together on the last few holes there."

Thom's 2010 Ides victory is his fifth major victory and makes him the first player to win each of the AGA Tour's current majors (the career slam), with two ILCRICC victories, and one at each of the other three majors.

"It is a great accomplishment, and I never thought I'd get there at this age," Thom remarked. "I played a very solid round today, and didn't let much get away from me."