July 26, 2007

ZANESVILLE, OH — There weren't 200,000 fans stradling the ropes. There weren't television cameras anchored into large elevated stands at each green. There wasn't even a $10 million purse. However the visions of Carnoustie were in Zanesville, OH on Saturday.

Rob "Van de Velde" Reustle played Eaglesticks during a wonderful Saturday afternoon with super weather and course conditions. The 4 1/2 star course and 19th best bargain in America was poised to rattle Reustle's cage. Reustle had other ideas.

"My opening hole sent a strong message to the course and gave me a tremendous amount of early confidence," said Reustle after opening with a par on the 458-yard par 4. "This was no lucky swing or shot either. It was a solid regulation par, which was very strong out of the gate."

Reustle strung a birdie and two pars together in the middle of the front nine scoring 41 points through 9 holes and shooting a 5-over 41. "That was a career low," said Reustle as he enjoyed a hotdog at the turn. "I am not sure if I love the course or my score brainwashed my course evaluation. Regardless, my front nine would have been enough to be leading a Carl Spackler Open after nine holes."

As the fatigue and reality of breaking 90 set in, Reustle gradually gave back the strokes during the back nine. He did not manage to score a par on the back nine, however did not blow up either shooting 8 straight holes with double bogey or better.

Then came the 18th hole. The 18th hole of Carnoustie, (Did I say Carnoustie? I mean Eaglesticks) was Rob Reustle's rock solid chance to break 90 and redefine a personal career low. He had 75 points and just finalizing a career record.

The 18th hole at Eaglesticks is a straight 541-yard par 5, which has a beautiful downhill tee shot. Rob Van de Velde ignored the beauty and went into his preshot routine. He struck his tee shot down the hill in the middle of the fairway. Even in Spackler crucible of emotion and intensity, Rob found a way to defuse the situation. The second was a pure yardage shot putting him in great position to make history.

"I had such a good round going with a great drive on 18," said Van de Velde. "I had about 200 to the green. I was thinking all I needed was a double for my first round in the eighties. So like brother Jean, I decided to go for it."

Rob hit a strong iron right into the greenside bunker, which was much better than duffing or hitting the ball into Barry Burn. "The bunker shot did not bother me," said Reustle of his birdie opportunity. "I had four strokes to give and history was certain."

The next shot was out of the bunker, but not on the green. It was across the green into the other greenside bunker. "My golfing career changed for the two seconds the ball was in the air," said Reustle. "I could feel the historic round heading for 17 great holes. The jitters arrived suddenly and became worse than 'Scream Machine' at Coney Island."

Reustle, who now needed to get the ball out of the bunker and two putt, was a basket case. "I could hear Casale in my head laughing at me," said Rob Van de Velde. "I could not get him out of my head. I was self destructing and did not have Romeo to slap me in the face. I kept thinking of Jean, Carnoustie, the meltdown, and probably would have played my ball out of the Barry Burn if given the opportunity."

Reustle did manage to get the ball out of the bunker and onto the green, where he was left with a managable putt for bogey.

"Getting the ball on the green was huge for me," said a rattled Reustle. "A two-putt double bogey would be 17-over 89. My golfing life would change forever. I might even be reclassified at Spackler since this was an upscale golf course from tournament yardage."

Rob Van de Velde, in Carnoustie fashion, three-putted for a snowman and posted his lone triple bogey during the 4-hour round. It was a huge blow to the double bogey golfer from Holbrook, NY. With the meltdown in the history books, Rob Van de Velde looked for positive way out.

"There are worse things in life," he said. "I read the newspaper like you all did this morning, and some terrible things are happening to other people. And, you know, as I say, it is a round of golf. It's a game. And I gave it my best shot."

Rob Reustle finished with 75 points and an 18-over 90. It still was a career low for any Virtual Tournament, but the stroke total did start with a nine.

"What right do I have to be complaining?" Van de Velde asked. "Eaglesticks is a fun place and Spackler tournament worthy in my opinion. The snowman was not taken on the 54th hole of a major championship either. I know inside me that I will learn from this experience and become a better player. Shooting 90 is not breaking 90, but it is bogey golf. That gives me plenty of confidence."

Rob Reustle enters the 2007 Virtual Tournament in a tie for 26th position with Erik Shirreffs. The 75-point round nearly doubles his first round of the season, which was just 43 points.