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St. Albans, MO - After a long summer, the time for the Thomas O. Sobbe Cup Final is finally here. The match-up is sure to be a true battle to the end as we see the undefeated number 1 seeded team, Westborough Country Club versus the defending Champions, Glen Echo Country Club. Play began at 12:20pm on the Country Club of St. Albans’ Tavern Course. Each team consists of two scratch, one professional, one handicap, one handicap four-ball pair, and one senior four-ball pair of golfers. 

The scratch matches went off first with Michael Becker for Glen Echo versus Kevin Shapiro for Westborough and Sean Brennan for Westborough versus Drew Pranger for Glen Echo.  Glen Echo started out strong in both of these matches and seldom let Westborough cut in. Pranger refused to let Brennan get a taste of the lead and won his match for Glen Echo in a dominating 5 & 3. Becker showed his ability to hold on, and despite Shapiro’s efforts to take control, he would win his match 2 & 1 to give Glen Echo its second point. 

Next out were the professionals and handicap singles matches. Westborough’s professional, Jeffrey Field, took on Glen Echo’s Michael Herbig. The match stayed close throughout the day, but Field would get Westborough’s first point in a 3 & 2 victory. David Hughes of Westborough faced Kevin McLaughlin of Glen Echo in the handicap match. From Hole 4 through Hole 10 the pair were tied, then McLaughlin took ahold of the match. McLaughlin would get Glen Echo’s third point of the day with a 4 & 3 win. 

In the four-ball handicap match, David Cassat and Larry Drury represented Westborough while Jay Ott and Josh Cocking represented Glen Echo. Drury and Cassat dominated the entire round to win 6 & 5 and get Westborough’s second point. As for the senior handicap four-ball match, James Moore and Steve Stolze representing Westborough were against James Storey and Jack Abels of Glen Echo. Often Glen Echo would try to break through in the match, but Moore and Stolze continued to stay on top. Westborough would claim its third point of the day with their 2 Up win. 

With the two sides tied with 3 points, the each picked one player to go head-to-head in a playoff. Drew Pranger and Sean Brennan were selected to represent their respective sides with daylight dwindling quickly. The pair started on Hole 18, where Pranger would make his putt to tie the hole. Hole 1 was chosen for the second playoff hole, where once again Pranger would make a statement by nearly making his birdie putt and placing the pressure on Brennan. Brennan however would make his par putt to force a third playoff hole. Next, we went to Hole 7 with darkness closing in. Both players put their tee shots in the fairway. Barely able to see, as darkness was rapidly increasing, Pranger sends a dart in towards the hole. Brennan then sends his second shot just short of the green. It was not until everyone approached the green that even Pranger realized he had landed his ball right next to the hole. Brennan tried to chip in, but Pranger’s second shot would inevitably seal the deal for Glen Echo Country Club. 

Glen Echo Country Club wins the 31st Thomas O. Sobbe Cup in a back-to-back, down to the wire, nail biting win.