It will only last for a moment, as the 18th is a par five, but I want you to feel what I’m feeling, if only for a brief time.

Denis Watson just double-bogeyed number 17, and Ray Stewart birdies 16. Stewart has spent the better part of the day returning the event to a competition, after starting with a sizeable lead. Watson had a two-stroke advantage with two to play. Take a chew out of this morsel:

Watson, Stewart, and Gil Morgan are still on the course, while Joe Ozaki, R.W. Eaks, Dana Quigley and David Eger are in the clubhouse, all at -9. Can you imagine the nightmare of a seven-man playoff? The directors won’t know how to send them all off. There was much criticism at the recent medal qualifying playoff at Olympic, and this one won’t be much better. Here’s hoping that Stewart birdies the last two, or that Morgan or Watson eagles 18, to avoid the marauding-playoff-horde syndrome.

UPDATE # 1: Stewart just went double-birdie-double. He’ll need eagle on 18 to get to -9. Never could hold a lead, that Ray Stewart. Stadler just birdied 17, so he’s one back of the crew. Morgan and Watson parred 17. so it’s a 6-way tie, with Stads one back.

UPDATE # 2: Stads just birdied eighteen, so he’s in at -9. Morgan and Watson are all that stand in the way of a seven-man playoff…here’s hoping for pars!

UPDTAE # 3: WE GOT ‘EM!! Two pars and it’s seven for the title. Oh, wait, Stewart’s left. He cannot possible eagle 18, can he?

UPDATE # 4: Wow…It only took two holes to find an eagle. Too bad it wasn’t Stewart, who made birdie to miss the playoff by one. Watson made up for his penultimate-hole double bogey with a winning eagle.

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