By Ronnie Gallagher
rgallagher@salisburypost.com
When they talk about why David Boger lost a chance at winning the 30th Horace Billings Rowan Amateur championship Sunday at Corbin Hills Golf Club, they’ll point to the finish.
Down by a stroke on the 18th hole, Boger drove his tee shot out of bounds, all but securing the win for Ronnie Eidson.
When Boger talks about why he lost, he won’t mention the finish.
He’ll mention the start.
“I had the chance on the first three holes,” Boger lamented after Eidson won 2-up. “I had three birdie putts ó clearly good birdie putts and I missed all three.”
Boger and Eidson were even through six holes but Eidson took the lead with a birdie on the seventh. He also birdied the ninth and finished with a 33 on the front nine.
Both players started off hot on the back side, each recording birdies on Nos. 10 and 11. Boger then pulled within one with a birdie on No. 15, but pointed to two holes that kept him from leading.
“I missed a good birdie putt on No. 8,” Boger said. “And on No. 11, Ronnie made an excellent par putt on a par-5.”
“I putted real well this week,” Eidson said.
The two finalists then came to No. 18 with Eidson up by one. Boger’s errant shot out of bounds had Eidson recalling last year’s semifinal loss to defending champ Keith Dorsett.
“I hit one out of bounds and lost on the 21st hole,” he said.
There would be no replay. Eidson made adjustments after seeing Boger’s shot.
“I changed clubs,” he said. “I hit a fairway wood off the tee.”
Playing it safe paid off. He won the hole.
“Ronnie played very steady,” Boger said. “I knew he’d be tough to beat.”
Edison repaid the compliment, saying, “David played real well. He made some super saves.”
Boger referred to himself as a super senior, and rightfully so. He is 69 years old and looks 20 years younger. He has won tournaments in Texas and was runnerup in New Mexico and has continued to play since moving to Salisbury in 1986. The stress of two matches in the intense heat did not bother him.
“I exercise,” Boger said. “I believe in being fit and healthy.”
He proved he has a healthy mindset as he calmly explained why the early birdie misses didn’t frustrate him.
“I know you can’t beat this game,” he reasoned, “so there’s no use to get mad.”
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While Eidson was beating Glenn Dixon 5 and 4 in his morning semifinal, Boger had to go an extra hole to edge Michael Dorsett.
Dorsett sent his tee shot into the woods and couldn’t get up and down. Boger, meanwhile, used a 3-wood and a sand wedge and advanced to the final.
“I was counting on his driver to make a mistake,” Boger said. “It did on the 19th hole. That was a very good match.”
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NOTES: Eidson will play in the Davidson Amateur next weekend at Lexington Municipal and said he wouldn’t play much until the Labor Day tournament. … Boger made it to the Amateur’s Final Four for the second time. … Stan Honeycutt won a plaque for being the qualifying medalist. He was beaten in the second round.