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Traditional Sunday Red

In his usual Sunday Red


Sitting in my room in a Naval Base in Sigonella, Sicily, mid April 1996. I just had my hand operated after an accident at my home port in Sardegna, Italy. I had to be flown to Sicily for the surgery since my home port did not have the facility for it.

The first round of the Masters was on TV. I watched it for 4 days straight. Tiger who is my age at 19 won the tournament with a 15 stroke lead if i remember right, for his first Major. This was my first real exposure in Golf and until the 3rd round i had no clue what a Birdie or a Par was. So fast forward to April 2005 now at age 29, 3 more Masters wins and a few other Major titles later Tiger is poised to win his 4th Masters Title while i had since been discharged from service, Married and Divorced but now a Golf fan and have yet to miss the Masters since then. And best yet i was off work.

I played basketball in the morning (won 3 out of 4 games). Fed the dogs, bathed Toby, had my lunch and took my shower. Turned on the TV right after noon and Tiger is 3 strokes ahead of Di Marco with 16 holes of Golf to go. Nascar aready started, the Long Beach Gran prix at 12:30 plus a Laker Game (who cares?), and my Beloved Dodgers playing at 1:30 in Arizona. Can it get any better? Uhmmm yes i also had a $10 mutiple rebuy+ add ons Poker Tournament at 5 PM. 17 players turned up with 20 + rebuys good for a $455 pot.

After 2 beers and flipping through the Dodger game, Masters and the Grand Prix i've totally forgotten about Nascar and slept through the 2nd half of the Gran Prix and through the 13th Hole of the Masters. Jeff Gordon won the Nascar race in Martinsville, the French driver Christian Bourdais for Newman/Hass racing took the Gran Prix in Long Beach, Lakers lost (no surpise there), Dodgers lost 5-4. Tiger in the mean time hit a wonderful birdie on 16th (probably the shot of the tournament) for a 2 stroke lead only to Bogey 17th & 18th to send it to a Sudden Death playoff in the 18th Hole. Tiger clinched the title with a 15 foot Birdie after Di Marco made Par.

Great time to spend a Sunday

Posted by: Marc Gabay
Monday, April 11, 2005