This past weekend marked the 2012 Continental Cup. The continental cup is Passaconaway and Hidden Creek's version of the Ryder Cup as member from each course battle head to head to see which club will prevail. The event this year was held just weeks after the Ryder Cup at Medinah and the results were strikingly similar.
Day one held at Hidden Creek, saw Team Passaconaway come out firing. The first and second round saw 2 man competition in both four-ball and foursome play with Passaconaway winning 4-2 in each round. Teams of Dave Goodwin and Ernie Glidden, Bob McCool and Jim Cronin, as well as Hugh Pringle and Marty Bove, each won their two matches of the day bringing in 6 of the 8 first day points for Passaconaway. The end of the day saw a score of 8-4 in Passaconaway's favor.
Day two was the final chance for Hidden Creek to make a run at the cup. The day consisted of individual 18 hole match play and things did not start well for Hidden Creek. Passaconaway won 3 of the first 4 matches bringing their lead to 11-5 with only 12 points needed to win the Continental Cup. With 8 matches left on the course Hidden Creeks chances looked grim. The next foursome that came in saw two points for hidden creek bringing the score to 11-7. The next foursome was much of the same tallying the score to a competitive 11-9. The momentum was shifting and Hidden Creek was taking advantage as they tied the score 11-11 with the final two matches coming to the 18th tee. Hidden Creek with the momentum would tee off first. Seeing Kevin Crowely strike one down the middle but Jeremy's took a awful kick and rolled out of bounds. Passaconaway's Ryan Cronin and John Silvestro both hit great tee shots in the fairway. Ryan would then chip on and 2 putt for the win of the hole and a half of the match leaving the deciding match to John Silvestro and Kevin Crowley.
Kevin hit a wonderful second shot and left it 12 feet from the pin with a putt for birdie and to seal the victory for Hidden Creek. The pressure was on John and boy did he deliver with a wonderful 75 yard wedge to 5 feet from the pin putting all the pressure on Kevin. Kevin would two putt for a par leaving John with a chance to win the hole, half the match, and give victory to Passaconaway. John rolled a great ball that just didnt move and slid by the hole giving Hidden Creek the match and the Continental Cup. What a great two days of golf and a real pleasure to watch. Thank you to all the participants in this years Passaconaway/Hidden Creek Continental Cup.