
Good evening, I’m Kelly Tilghman here on Golf Channel’s special preview of the 2011 Goodboys Invitational. For this year’s tournament the Goodboys are going metrosexual – oops, I mean Metro-West – Boston’s Metro-West, that is, situating their headquarters in the swanky Seaport Hotel located on Boston’s waterfront near the World Trade Center while they play at three suburban Boston locations for the first time in Goodboys history. Joining me once again to preview all the drama and excitement sure to come is none other than my colleague, 6-time majors winner Sir Nick Faldo. Nick, the Goodboys Invitational turns 21 this year, and we have a couple of Goodboys making their very first appearance: Mark “Skipper” Bornemann and Scott “Gilligan” Tripp. Initial thoughts?
Sir Nick: Well they’re certainly going to find out for themselves what the pressure-cooker of a Goodboys weekend is like, and they’ll be doing it under fire in on-the-job training, so to speak. A Goodboys Invitational is tough under any circumstances, but to do it for your first time, and as a team together, that’s going to be a real eye-opening experience for them, I can tell you that.
KT: I’m surprised the Goodboys didn’t offer an invite to you when they knew they had an opening.
NF: Well, they did and I decided to gracefully decline their invitation after hearing some potential nicknames Ben “The Funny Guy” Andrusaitis had already come up with for me.
KT: I guess those nicknames are not suitable for TV?
NF: Er, you might say that, Kelly. It all starts with having a name like Nick. It doesn’t take too much imagination to think of some words that rhyme with that, does it?
KT (blushing): I guess not. When we come back, we’ll talk about the courses and the pairings. Keep us tuned right here.
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KT: Welcome back to Golf Channel’s special preview of the 21st annual Goodboys Invitational. This year, Sir Nick, the ‘Boys won’t be playing on Cape Cod, and they won’t be playing up and around the Portsmouth, New Hampshire seacoast. They’ll be playing a bunch of courses outside of Boston they’ve played before – Sagamore Spring in Lynnfield, Sandy Burr in Wayland, and Brookmeadow, down on the South Shore in Canton. You’ve played all these courses before, what do they hold in store for the Goodboys, Sir Nick?
NF: Well, I certainly think the flat terrain and openess of these courses – as opposed to, say, a tough course like The Ledges was the last two years – really brings the entire field into play. I mean, consider last year: even though you had six teams there were really only five teams with any chance of winning. No one, and I mean no one – including me – gave Doug “The Great White Shank” Richard and Ron “Cubby” Myerow any chance, given the difficulty of The Ledges. Their games simply don’t hold up well for that kind of course. And with The Ledges comprising half of a 36-hole tournament, they were really out of it before the weekend even got started. This year, the courses are more open, the teams are better balanced, and anyone, really, has a chance to win. I think it’s going to be a very interesting and competitive weekend.
KT: Of the three courses, which one will poses the toughest challenge, in your opinion?
NF: Well, Kelly, I’d have to say Brookmeadow in Canton, if only because it will be Goodboys Sunday and you’ve got the majority of the players having to negotiate their way around a course they’ve never played before. When you’re immersed in the bone-crushing pressure of a Goodboys final round, you’re looking for any familiarity you can find. And that’s something these guys are not accustomed to seeing.
KT: But wasn’t that the case last year when Goodboys Sunday was played at The Links at Outlook in South Berwick, Maine? None of the Goodboys had played there before, right?
NF: Ummm…
KT: Gotcha! I finally gotcha! You sonofabitch! Yes!!!!
NF: $#@&!
KT: (composing herself) Golf Channel’s special presentation of the “2011 Goodboys Invitational Preview” will be back after this commercial break…
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KT: Welcome back to Golf Channel’s “2011 Goodboys Invitational Preview”. I’m Kelly Tilghman along with Sir Nick Faldo. So, Sir Nick, let me get your sense about the pairings in this year’s Goodboys Invitational, shall we? Who are the favorites, the dark horses, and the also-rans?
NF: It would be easy to discount the rookie team of Skipper and Gilligan, but who can forget Mark “Rambro” Ambrosano and Steve “Deuce” Doucette winning the 2005 Goodboys in their first year, so you can’t count anyone out. Again, the openess of the courses is going to bring the whole field in, so I can’t say there’s a favorite at this point in time.
KT: Surely you must have at least a sentimental favorite…
NF: I do, and I’m sure everyone out there is hoping that this is the year that Kevin “Goose” Dwyer, with the help of his partner Paul “Possum” Shepter, finally captures that first Goodboys Invitational championship. He’d no longer be known as…
NF and KT (together): BEST GOODBOY NEVER TO HAVE WON A GOODBOYS INVITATIONAL.
NF: …and don’t call me Shirley.
KT: I’m intrigued by the teaming of Tony “2 Times” Proctor with “Cubby” Myerow. I mean, they’re getting 38 – I repeat, 38! – strokes a day. Wouldn’t you think they have a chance?
NF: The key there is Cubby. If he shoots a 105, even a 108, and 2 Times keeps his head they could really be a factor. And these are not tough courses, so if Cubby can even chip and putt a little bit, it could be a great story come Sunday night.
KT: Mike “Vegas” Clark and “The Funny Guy”.
NF: The openness of these courses is going to make it very difficult for these guys to have a bad round. It’s going to be a real shootout out there, and I expect the entire field to play at least to their number, perhaps go a little lower. Therefore, if you’re going to push me, I have to say they’re the favorites. Everyone’s getting strokes off them, but Vegas and TFG shooting a stroke or two below their numbers – something that is entirely possible – that will just make it tougher for everyone else to overtake them.
KT: Defending champs Steve “Killer” Kowalski and Pat “Doggy Duval” McLaughlin.
NF: We have a saying across the pond from Lord Nelson’s days: “Stick a fork in them, they’re done like dinner”. When all is said and done, there will still be no repeat champions in Goodboys history.
KT: Here’s a team I like: Steve “Deuce” Doucette and “The Great White Shank” Richard.
NF: Deuce is a very steady player who will be a calming influence on The Great White Shank. No less than Gary McCord reports TGWS is hitting the ball better than he ever has – he’s even playing a cut, for gawdsakes – but he’s also going off at his lowest number yet at a Goodboys – 99 – so that will be a factor and make it hard for him to go low. I think they’ll play well, I don’t expect them to be there at the end.
KT: In just a moment we’ll be back with our predictions as to how each of these teams will finish in this year’s Goodboys Invitational. Who’ll be hot and who’ll be not? Stay tuned…
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KT: Welcome back to this Golf Channel special presentation. OK, Sir Nick Faldo, it’s the moment of truth. Your picks for this year’s Goodboys Invitational, one through six:
NF: Kelly, I’m going with:
1. “Vegas” and “The Funny Guy”, followed by:
2. “Goose” / “Possum”,
3. “2 Times” / “Cubby”,
4. “Skipper” / “Gilligan”,
5. “Deuce” / “The Great White Shank”
6. “Killer” / “Doggy Duval” at the bottom.
KT: Me, I’m going with:
1. “Goose” / “Possum”,
2. “Skipper” / “Gilligan”,
3. “Vegas” / “The Funny Guy”,
4. “2 Times” / “Cubby”,
5. “Deuce” / “The Great White Shank”,
6. “Killer” / “Doggy Duval”
NF: At least we’re in agreement who finishes last. I think it will be a great tournament, and I personally can’t wait for it to start.
KT: Well that ends our Golf Channel special presentation of the “2011 Goodboys Invitational Preview”. A big ‘thank you’ to Sir Nick for joining me. Have a great night. And as the saying goes, Boys, keep it long and straight!