BIENNIAL
Moawad Claims His 4th Survivor Title
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HOLMBY PARK – Save for an aberration in 2010, Chris Moawad has won the Survivor every other year since 2008. Sunday, Moawad collected not only his 4th Survivor title, but with Devil Ball, his 2nd win in a row this season. “It feels great. It’s great to get another win. I think it helped that I wasn’t going for my first win [of the season]. That took a little pressure off, I think, as far as feeling that I had to win.” The 18-time Tour winner is now 1 victory shy of the Survivor record held by best buddy Walter Vargas. Between the two, they hold 9 victories in the 11 editions of the tournament, prompting veteran Patrick Bird to concede, “Those 2 might as well come here and play by themselves. I don’t know why the rest of us bother to show up.”
1st Hole:
John Frost, Eliminated (quadruple playoff with Walter Vargas. T. Joe & D. Vargas advance after 1st playoff)
5 years ago to the day, Walter Vargas defeated John Frost in a double playoff to 3-peat at the Survivor, and 5 years later the two found themselves locked in a nail-biting, unprecedented 4 playoffs that took nearly 30 minutes, hoping to avoid the embarrassment of being first man out. For the first time in his career, Frost became “That Guy”. “That was my intention for the whole day. My son is pitching this morning so I needed to go early anyway,” explained Frost.
2nd Hole:
Gerry Vaughan, Eliminated (playoff with Patrick Bird)
“I feel like I’m gonna go to Amoeba and pick up some CD’s, so make the trip out here worth it.”
It’s now been 9 years since Vaughan won the Survivor.
3rd Hole:
Doug Vargas, Eliminated (playoff with Clint Crump)
The defending champion met a merciless end when his playoff tee shot sailed into the street and subsequent shots found various bushes. “It just prolonged the pain. You know it’s like f**k, one after the other. It was a horrible experience.”
4th Hole:
Clint Crump, Eliminated (playoff with Moawad, Mann, Grigorian & Bird)
As 4th man out, Crump could only improve on last year’s performance by 1 hole. “You know, it comes down to one errant shot and I had it on this hole.”
5th Hole:
John Mann, Eliminated
Just a hole earlier Mann likened the tournament photographer to the grim-reaper. It would prove to be a self-fulfilling prophecy when he asked if the camera was out as he prepared for a short putt. “I could feel [the photographer’s wraith-like energy behind me]. I heard the camera come out his pocket. I’m disappointed but I get to go be with my daughter so that’s good.”
6th Hole:
Tim Joe, Eliminated (double playoff with Walter Vargas)
His best finish in 4 years was of no consolation. “It should never have gone to the [playoff] is all I’ve got to say. I blew it on the putting on [the original hole].”
7th Hole:
Walter Vargas, Eliminated
After surviving what may be a tournament record 7 playoffs the 5-time champ’s high wire act finally caught up with him. “[I’m] really disappointed. It’s never fun losing here with all the wins I have. I just feel like I’m going to the end every time. It was rough, but your luck runs out after [that many] playoff holes.”
8th Hole:
Patrick Bird, Eliminated
It was a career-best finish, but top-3 at the Survivor offered no consolation to Bird, who was looking for a 3rd win this season.
“It’s a miracle I got as far as I did I guess. I was hoping maybe I’d play above my usual but alas, no avail.”
Final Hole:
Armen Grigorian, Eliminated
A surprise appearance by Grigorian almost ended with the most unlikely of victories after he made it to the final hole for the first time in 10 years. “I thought I’d be out by the 2nd hole, I really did, and the fact I made it this far is pretty amazing. At least I lost to the champ himself. If I lost to Bird…?”
Chris Moawad, 2016 Survivor Challenge Champion
Aside from his involvement in a mid-round 5-man playoff, Moawad flew under the radar before reaching the final hole. Following his winning putt he let out a huge sigh of relief. “I’m shaking. That putt felt twice as long with the pressure.” Asked what it’s like to be standing over a putt for the win in such a pressure packed tournament, Moawad laughingly answered, “Don’t f**k it up?” before adding, “It’s very nerve-wracking.”
