Carl Spackler, A.K.A. Bill Murray, will be defending his A T & T National Pro-Am Title this week at historic Pebble Beach with his professional partner D.A. Points.  If you recall, in a true Cinderella Story,  this unlikely duo opened with a 59 on Day One and went on to best the field by two over four days with a 35 under total of 251.

D.A. Points just so happened to notch his first professional win at the same time playing pretty flawlessly down the stretch with Murray as his alter ego.  He was one shot behind when he jarred a gap wedge for eagle on the difficult par five 14th and then followed it making a 30 footer on 15 for birdie.  Three pars coming in capped his 67 and a two shot win over Hunter Mahan.

The most riveting moment was Points facing a nervous six footer for par on 16.  When his caddy asked him how he felt he answered, “Not very good”.  At which point D.A. took a page from the Murray handbook.  He turned to partner who stood over a long putt from across the green and hollered at him, “The crowd would be really happy if you could make that”.    The crowd laughed approvingly and that seemed to break the tension.  After Murray narrowly missed his putt, Points made his six footer for par and sailed home from there for the win.

It was obvious at the end Murray seemed a bit uncomfortable in the role of the victor-he was uncharacteristically serious.  When asked if his partnership with Points was a new Pro-Am tandem he said, “I’m thinking of turn pro but I probably won’t.  It’s really nice to play with a gentlemen.  He’s a good person.  He’s from Illinois. He’s Lincoln-esque in stature and unfailingly polite”.

Having had a full year to recharge his comic competitive batteries I suspect Carl will be back to his old self trying to write the Cinderella Sequel.

February, 2012