10th Annual Recap

There is nothing quite like the buildup for the Opening Ceremony at the Spieth Invy. As all 32 participants filter in to the house, Thursday night is always a treat; Opening Ceremony kicks off, teams are introduced, horserace picks are made, and the shit-talking begins. This year had an especially exciting feeling - the 10th annual Stinzy Spieth. Although just a number, it’s a milestone illustrated by this years’ “Invy X” logo and stories reminiscing the previous 9 years. Vibes were high. Teams were confident. Not a single person had hit a bad golf shot yet.

Day 1 - Round Robin

As Friday morning alarms went off, there was a unique buzz amongst both houses – not Spieth related. The first thing everyone saw on their phone was the video and news of Scottie Scheffler being arrested. It was quite the way to wake up and shake off the cobwebs from the previous night.

On property at Little Crow, players surrounded the range and putting green. Coolers of beers were filled. Team pictures were taken. The ceremonious opening tee shot by Commissioner Austin Harrington was hit and we were off. Invy X had officially started. You could feel the nervous energy in the air…

Team uniforms are always a spectacle at the Invy, and The Driplomats & Goldmembers really brought the fire at the Opening Ceremony. A+ attire. Rookie Fowlers golf fits were another level as well.

Friday morning was highlighted by the strong early play of the Birdie Bombers, Spicer Green Jackets, and Sunday Red. Matches came and went, the fun of friday always goes by way too fast. As we arrived to the team scramble, the Spicer Green Jackets made an impressive final team run to edge the Sunday Red by 1 point, claiming the #1 overall seed after day one. The Green Jackets birdied the last hole to shoot 6 under par in the team scramble, the lowest team scramble score in tournament history. This would be the 3rd time in 4 years that a Harrington-led squad earned the #1 overall seed. 

The Green Jackets weren't the only team to have a good final 9 holes, there were Friday evening heroics from a couple teams coming down the stretch! Sean Devine of the Marlboro Freds drained a 25-foot downhill, left-to-right slinging putt on Willows #9 to secure a 3 seed. A monumental putt that changed the outlook for the Freds going into Saturday. Additionally, only 12 minutes before, a Michael Prochno fringe hole-out from 53 ft on Willows #9, secured a top 4 seed for Rookie Fowlers. Chaos! Although not a top 2 seed, those last hole heroics from the Freds and the Fowlers were important to earn top 4 seeding for both these squads, helping them avoid the Saturday morning play-in games. A great reminder, the team scramble is never to be taken lightly… Birdie Bombers, Goldmembers, Driplomats, and Bone Thugs-N-Parmony rounded out seeds 5-8, respectively.

Day 2 - Championship Saturday

Saturday morning is always a good litmus test of your team's success on Friday. Half the field can sleep until 10am, while the other 16 are warming up in the wet, cold morning conditions and teeing off in the play-in portion of the bracket at 7:30am.

The play-in matchups saw Birdie Bombers beat Bone Thugs and the Goldmembers outlast the Driplomats, setting up the Dolan-led Driplomats against the Latzke-led Bone Thugs in the Butthole bowl. With a bad-back Latzke, Bone Thugs did all they could to fight but came up short, taking home the infamous Loser of the Spieth at Invy X. The Driplomats avoided last place, and we are all glad they did, as the team theme and outfits was one for the ages. 

 In the Quarterfinals, the Fowlers outlasted the Birdie Bombers, sending home back-to-back champions Cam Posey and James Farrow. Farrow, visibly upset after losing — his first time not playing in the championship in the modern era — needed time to shake off the loss. The other half of the bracket saw the Marlboro Freds come back and knock off the Goldmembers, largely due to the tee-to-green play of Adam Fredericks. What a year for Freddy. 

Semi-Finals: 

The semifinals were set and it was all chalk, as #1 played #4 and #2 played #3. In the first semi's match, the #4 Fowlers took on the #1 seed Green Jackets. A questionable personnel decision by Captain Harrington, putting Mitch & Jeremy together and Trow & Harrington together, will be discussed and debated for years to come. The Fowlers took home the win closing out the match on the 8th green. The fellas in orange were led by the Prochno/Porte pairing, a buzzsaw combo all weekend, mowing down everyone in their path. The Warner-Ford combo also got it going, making 4 bridies in a row - birdying 4,5,6,7 on Oaks - an incredible stretch. Very solid overall play by The Fowlers to secure the championship appearance. 

Marlboro Freds vs Sunday Red came down to the last putt on the last hole. The Shotwell-Ernie pairing for Sunday Red had a chance to extend the match, but three-putted from close range. The usually clutch Shotwell came up short, with Todd & Gabe in prime position in the 9th fairway. Plus, Gabe had just drained an electric 40-foot putt on the 8th hole to keep them alive; so, it was a tough way for the Reds tournament to conclude... That said, the Freds prevailed! The semifinals for the Fred’s was a ham and egg special from the Weber/Devine pairing. They hit just 1 of 7 fairways, but in true scramble fashion, found a way to get the ball in the hole, finishing at 3 under despite the great play from their opponents. 

Fowlers and the Freds were each trailing for portions of their matchups but both battled back to get wins and set up the championship, and on top of it, a Brother Bowl between Andy and Sammy.

The Championship 

One of the best things about the Spieth INVY is that after upwards of 50 holes of golf, all players who have been removed from title contention grab a couple vodka lemonades and follow the 2 foursomes around Oaks for the championship. 

Predictions are made, wagers are placed, and in addition to getting a chance at the Crow Cup, the remaining golfers get to receive the added electricity of 24 patrons scattered across about 15 golf carts parked on the edge of the tee boxes and greens. 

No one embraces the crowd more than Weber-Devine, who came out of the gates hot and helped the Freds start 2-UP thru 3 against the Fowlers. The Rookies bounced back as they won hole #4 and picked up another after birding #6 and #7. Heading to the arduous #8 Oakes, a 207 yard shot into the wind, was waiting as the Championship match was all tied. An A+ chip shot from Rookie Joe Ford rolled to a tap in range. Devine/Weber missed a 12 foot par putt half a cup low and we headed to the final hole of the tournament with the Fowlers in front by 1.

With both teams in the fairway, the Freds captain Andrew Weber stepped up, hitting an unbelievably clutch wedge from 96 yards out. The ball dropped out of the sky and rolled to 6 feet, securing a for sure par and great look at birdie.The Warner-Ford pairing hit their approach into the bunker, and couldn’t convert the up and down to save par. They both missed a make-able putt that will surely haunt Warner for years to come. On to Sudden Death OT, for the FIRST TIME in Modern Era Spieth history, we go.

With crazy commotion, the two teams gathered with the commish to go over rules, and off they went, with spectators and carts trailing. It was quite the scene. 

The two teams headed back to #7 Oakes for the first playoff hole, the drivable par 4. After an elite pitch shot that rolled to gimme range from Matt Galloway, securing a tap in birdie for the front group, the Marlboro Freds were in the driver seat. What a clutch shot Matty.

A drive from Sammy Warner of the Fowlers flew just left of the green, putting a little pressure back on the Freds. And the stage is once again clear for Mr. Andrew Michael Weber. Web hits a piercing cut that flies right at the pin, eventually landing softly and rolling out to the back fringe. An incredible shot in the moment. The Freds now need just a 2-putt to put away the tournament. 

Birdie Secured. Champions of Invy X, secured. Every member of the Freds made significant contributions. Sean Devine continues to win and be a staple of success at the Invy. Guy can scramble his way around any course in America. Matt Galloway only knows victory. He hit a chip that will be remembered forever during that first playoff hole. Adam Fredericks shows up and becomes MR. Most Improved player. Deserved it. And finally, Captain Weber hit two all-time Spieth shots in a 20-minute span that is forever etched in Invy history. The Freds played as a true team, and deservedly so, were champions of Invy X.