Golf

Never underestimate the fight in an underdog.

The Evens, whose players won only two events in the Best of the Best Series, collected five of eight possible points in Sunday’s singles matches and won the inaugural Odds-Evens Shootout at Cane Creek Golf Course, 9 1/2 to 6 1/2.

The teams were determined by the order of finish in this year’s Series. Odds members won five of the seven events, including four by its top two players, fueling the idea of them as favorites.

“You know why I was saying I felt we were the underdogs?” Evens captain Jeremy McGatha said. “Every time somebody looked at the teams, they said, ‘Wow, the Odds have a great team.’ Never did they tell me ‘Wow, the Evens have got a great team.’ So, with all that being the talk, I felt we were the underdogs. But (his team) was very strong.”

The Evens went into the day with a one-point lead, needing four points to clinch, and top-loaded their Sunday lineup with hopes of delivering the knockout blow.

They got full points from McGatha, Brennan Clay, Matt Rogers and Jason Johnson and halves from Chip Howell and Ott Chandler.

The Odds got full points from County Player of the Year and captain Garrett Burgess and Dan Griffin at the bottom of their lineup, and halves from Cypress Hathorn and Jaylon Ellison.

“The two halves were crucial,” Odds captain Burgess said, “but, all in all, I guess it comes down to (Saturday), not playing better yesterday. They out-thunk us.”

Johnson clinched the overall victory with a 2-up upset of third-seeded Grant Hockman. Johnson, an underdog himself as the No. 10 finisher in the series, secured his point on 17 by knocking in a birdie on top of the one Hockman made following a brilliant approach from trouble.

Johnson was 1-down at the turn, but took control by winning each of the first three holes in “The Hollow” with pars to Hockman’s bogeys.

“I didn’t think I was the weakest link, but by no means did I think I was the strongest,” said Johnson, a 29-year-old materials rep for General Dynamics. “After getting beat up (Saturday) morning pretty bad (in his best-ball match), I wanted to come back and at least contribute a little bit. And I played solid, so I’m happy with the way it finished.”

And it finished with a Ryder Cup-style flourish.

On their final hole, Johnson hit his drive safely into the middle of the fairway, but Hockman’s drive hit a tree on the dogleg and ricocheted backward into a far corner. Hockman then put his second shot on the edge of the green, just left of the hole. Johnson stuck a dart inside Hockman’s ball.

Hockman’s birdie putt fell into the cup after teetering on the edge. Johnson studied his putt on the same line and made it.

“I was shocked he made that putt; it took the wind out of me a little bit,” Johnson said. “I hadn’t really made many putts all day, but I found a way to get it in.

“Yeah, I was grinding. I knew if I made that putt I wouldn’t have to go to 18; that’s what I wanted. I know how Grant is; he doesn’t make very many mistakes. I didn’t want to go to 18 with him. You never know what’s going to happen on that last hole.”

As it was, he didn’t have to find out, and the Evens ruled the day.