Black rallies past Chandler
- Updated: August 31, 2014
No. 11 seed trailed by 4 with 5 to play
By East Alabama Sports Today
Daniel Black staged one of the biggest comebacks in the history of the Calhoun County Match Play Championship Sunday when he rallied from four holes down with five to play to beat Ott Chandler 1 up in 19 holes Sunday.
Black, the No. 11 seed, never led in the match at Cane Creek Golf Course until No. 6 Chandler conceded the first extra hole.
“I’m stoked,” Black said. “I couldn’t have drawn it any better, that kind of comeback.”
Chandler, the 2010 Match Play champion and 2012 runner-up, led 3 up after four holes and 4 up at the turn. The players swapped holes on 10 and 11 and the margin remained 4 up coming out of The Hollow.
Then Black’s fortunes turned. He birdied 14 and won 15 and 16 with pars.
“To be honest, when I stepped onto 14 I knew if I didn’t make birdie the match would be over,” Black said. “I had to at least win that one to keep going. After 16 I thought maybe I really do have a shot to get even.”
Black went to the 18th tee 1 down and hit a bad drive, but ultimately won the hole with a hand-shaking, knee-knocking two-putt par when Chandler failed to get up and down from the fringe.
On the first extra hole Black ripped a 320-yard drive. Chandler left his drive out to the right, caught some trees with his second shot and left his bump-and-run third shot short. Black hit his approach to 10 feet.
“It was ugly because I think we shot 3- or 4-over for the day,” Black said, “but nobody really did anything.”
Black now plays the winner of the Jeremy McGatha-Nick Pollard match.
Calhoun County Match Play Championship
Buddy Moore Bracket
No. 1 Gary Wigington def. No. 16 Jeff Borrelli, 6 & 5
No. 8 Matt Rogers def. No. 9 Scott Martin, 2 & 1
No. 13 Billy Thompson def. No. 4 Grant Hockman, 2 & 1
No. 5 Jaylon Ellison def. No. 12 Lance Evans, 2 & 1
Chris Banister Bracket
No. 2 Ty Cole vs. No. 15 Clay Calkins
No. 7 Adrian Geeting vs. No. 10 Andrew Brooks
No. 3 Jeremy McGatha vs. No. 14 Nick Pollard
No. 11 Daniel Black def. No. 6 Ott Chandler, 19 holes
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