Sean Bosdosh shoots around a tree while playing the final round during the final round of the Charlie’s Maine Open on Wednesday at the Augusta Country Club in Manchester. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
MANCHESTER — Behind his smile and dark sunglasses, Sean Bosdosh was tired. Really tired.
“I’m exhausted,” Bosdosh said. “My brain is dead. I’m going to go get some coffee and enjoy that.”
Bosdosh, who won the Charlie’s Maine Open on Wednesday at the Augusta Country Club by shooting a 1-under 69 and finished with an 11-under 199, had to fight through multiple factors to keep his mind focused on his game, during a round that ultimately took 5 1/2 hours.
“It’s weird, (golf) is not super physically demanding,” said Bosdosh, who is from Clarksburg, Maryland. “Especially when I drive a cart. But what really tires you out is that constant focus, understanding the wind, elevation, tees, what your swing feels like, where you’re trying to hit the ball. There’s so much that plays into it that you have to think through, and then put it aside and execute on a golf shot. Those things are extremely hard to do, especially under the pressure of trying to win an event.”
“This is kind of why we practice and play the game, to put ourselves in positions to feel the nerves and butterflies (during a final round),” said Zach Barbin, who finished third with an 8-under 202. “You want to feel the opportunity and environment. You just focus on what you’re going to do and not focus so much on what your competitors are doing. … In terms of mindset on a final day, I think you just have to focus on your own game. Stick to your gameplan as much as you can. And if you’re a few shots back, maybe be a bit more aggressive.”
Bosdosh entered the day 10-under — three strokes ahead of Barbin and Topsham’s Caleb Manuel. The trio were together in the final group, and though Bosdosh started his day with a birdie on the first hole, he had his share of struggles. On hole No. 5, Bosdosh hit an approach shot beyond the green and near a neighboring street. He tried to chip with his wedge on the next shot, only to stay in the rough, just short of the green. He reached the green on the following shot but showed visible frustration by tossing his wedge. He double bogeyed the hole, shooting a 7.
Caleb Manuel hits out of a bunker on the ninth hole during the final round of the Charlie’s Maine Open on Wednesday at the Augusta Country Club in Manchester. Manuel finished second. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
Not to help matters was a weather delay, forcing all golfers off the course and into the clubhouse for 45 minutes. The leaders were just starting the back nine when the delay hit.
“The weather delay was actually really tough,” Bosdosh said. “On hole (No.) 11, I had birdied 10 and had a perfect drive (on 11) that was 87 yards (to the pin). Usually, going from one shot to the next, my wedge is really strong, that’s an easy shot for me. But after coming back from 45 minutes (in the clubhouse), it made that difficult. I flew (the second shot) long. That was tough. But I birdied (12) which was really good, with a long putt there. That was huge to keep the momentum going.
“You’re almost in a flow state when you go the way I was playing,” Bosdosh continued. “And then (after the delay), you try to get back into the mindset and hit that shot, it was a difficult shot at the time, for whatever reason.”
“I kind of liked the rain delay, it kind of slows you down,” Manuel said. “After (hitting bogey on No. 8) and two par saves (on the following holes), things were moving kind of fast. And it was only 30-40 minutes. If it was hours, that would have been different, it would have been annoying. I think it was good for me and (helped) stay patient throughout the rest of the day.”
While it wasn’t the strongest round of his week, Bosdosh kept his cool, hitting a birdie on No. 12 and making par in his final four holes to secure the win.
Manuel, known for being even keeled during tournaments, became frustrated after his tee shot on No. 16. In an aggressive move, trying to make up space on the scoreboard, Manuel hit over the green. On his next shot, he hit the ball past the green again. He bogeyed the hole with a 5.
“I hung in there and tried to go for 16, but just kind of got a bad bounce on that one,” Manuel said. “I didn’t have a lot going my way.
Manuel came back with a birdie on hole No. 18 and finished as the tournament runner-up with a 9-under 201.
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