The amateur team has a 9-3 lead over the Northern Chapter PGA professionals after Monday’s doubles sessions in the 34th Underwood Cup at the Deerwood Country Club.
But we saw this movie last year.
Trailing only a half-point less in 2024 at Timuquana, the pros stormed back to win 12.5-11.5, outscoring the amateurs 9-3 in singles.
“They know what we did last year,” said pro captain Mike Broderick. “Even the rookies on the team. The difference today was we had a lot of lipped-out putts and the amateurs had a lot that lipped in. It happens.”
“That was bad last year,” said amateur captain Michael Del Rocco. “But we have a group of really good players, the best amateur team I think we’ve ever had and we’re going to go out and try to win every match. All I saw today was a lot of guys making a lot of birdies.”
Del Rocco has a point. His team lost only one match (there were four halves), as Aaron Russell and Rob Lee defeated Matt Kleinrock and Matt Saxton 3 and 2 in the afternoon fourballs. Three of the four halves in the morning foursomes came when pro teams birdied the final hole.
And Steve Carter, the team’s iron horse who is playing in his 24th Cup Matches, closed out the day with a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-5 18th hole to deliver a 1-up victory with Chase Baldwin over Hayes Farley and Jared Wolfe.
Carter, for one, won’t let his teammates forget last year’s collapse.
“We had a great Day One, then didn’t come out and play on Day Two and they capitalized on it,” he said. “They’re high-quality players and they have the ability to turn this around.”
Deerwood a first-time venue for Cup Matches
Deerwood is hosting the matches for the first time under a three-year rotation of venues. The matches will be at the San Jose Country Club in 2026 and the Timuquana Country Club in 2027. They were played at Timuquana from 1992-2022, San Jose in 2023 and Timuquana again in 2024.
The professional team, which has won the last two matches, needs to win 12 points in Tuesday’s singles matches to retain the Underwood Cup. Last year marked the first time since 1996-97 that they won two in a row.
The Amateur team will need to win 12.5 points in singles to get the Cup back it held from 2017-2022. The Amateurs hold an 18-12-3 lead in the rivalry.
But the amateur team needs only 3.5 points in singles. The pros need nine points.
Ellis, LaCombe went 2-0
One professional team won both matches, Jimmy Ellis and Lance LaCombe. They topped Blanton Tessin and Mark Tullo de Best 3 and 2 in foursomes and Hayes Farley and de Best 2-up.
Ellis is the defending Florida Amateur champion and LaCombe won the Florida Mid-Amateur.
There was only one blow-out, with Jeff Golden and Toby Ragland routing Bobby Newberry and Marshall Collins 8 and 6 in foursomes.
Underwood Cup doubles results
Monday, at Deerwood Country Club
(P-professional; A-amateur).
Foursomes
Michael Mattiace-Syndey Mattiace (P) halved with Jordan Batchelor-Jeff Dennis (A).
Jeff Golden-Toby Ragland (A) d. Marshall Collins-Bobby Newberry (P) 8 and 6.
Jimmy Ellis-Lance LaCombe (A) d. Blanton Tessin-Mark Tullo de Best (P) 3 and 2.
Rob Lee-Aaron Russell (P) halved with Matt Kleinrock-Matt Saxton (A).
Hayes Farley-Jared Wolfe (P) halved with Steve Carter-Chase Baldwin (A).
Clint Avret-Stephanie Connelly-Eiswerth (P) halved with Michael Smith-Sam Geise (A).
Four-Ball
Kleinrock-Saxton (A) d. Collins-Newberry (P) 6 and 5.
Batchelor-Dennis (A) d. Mattiace-Mattiace (P) 2 and 1.
Lee-Russell (P) d. Golden-Ragland (A) 3 and 2.
Smith-Geise (A) d. Avret-Connelly-Eiswerth (P) 2 and 1.
Ellis-LaCombe (A) d. Farley-de Best (P) 2-up.
Carter-Baldwin (A) d. Tessin-Wolfe (P) 1-up
Tuesday’s singles matches
Connelly-Eiswerth (P) vs. Ellis (A), 8 a.m.
Wolfe (P) vs. Batchelor (A), 8:10 a.m.
Farley (P) vs. Dennis (A), 8:20 a.m.
M. Mattiace (P) vs. Carter (A), 8:30 a.m.
S. Mattiace (P) vs. Saxton (A), 8:40 a.m.
Avret (P) vs. Baldwin (A), 8:50 A.M.
Lee (P) vs. Kleinrock (A), 9 a.m.
Newberry (P) vs. Ragland (A), 9:10 a.m.
Tessin (P) vs. Golden (A), 9:20 a.m.
Russell (P) vs. Smith (A), 9:30 a.m.
Tullo de Best (P) vs. Geise (A), 9:40 a.m.
Collins (P) vs. LaCombe (A), 9:50 a.m.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Underwood Cup Matches: Late birdie by Steve Carter gives amateurs 9-3 lead
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