Reggies and Clutch Play Deliver Dramatic Finishes at WLF Delaware

Lewes, DE. May 22, 2023

Top players deliver at key moments with accuracy and poise to win WLF events.

World League FlingGolf's playoff and reggie system are designed to allow for a more exciting finish to a tournament than traditional golf, and that is exactly what happened during the Men's, Women's and Team Championships at the New Swarm Classic on May 20.

Instead of simply finishing up with a final 18 hole score on the last day of a tournament like traditional golf, WLF players instead compete for a place in an additional 9 hole playoff. 

Additionally, players can get a stroke off their score per hole for hitting a green in regulation (a reggie).  Just like the 3 point play in basketball, the 2 point conversion in football or the 2 point line in lacrosse, reggies allow for the possibility of a wider swing per hole and thus a chance for a quicker catch up from behind.

The final group of the Men's playoffs started with Austin Ebersole one stroke ahead of Sam Scannell and Mike DeRusha.  It was Scannell that took quick advantage of his accuracy and distance to nail 3 out of the first 4 greens and an amazing 6 out of the first 7.  Ebersole started with 2 out of 3 reggies but then didn't score another for the round, and DeRusha simply played very solid FlingGolf, but could not get a single reggie through the first 7 holes.

With his 6 reggies, Scannell had built up a 5 stroke lead over Ebersole and a 4 stroke lead over DeRusha, despite the fact that DeRusha was shooting the lowest gross score to that point.

With just two holes to go, in traditional golf, it would be game over.  But in FlingGolf, there's always a chance for a great comeback.  The difference between making a reggie or not is as significant as making a putt or not, creating two layers of tension and drama to every hole. 

With the DelMarVa Sports Network video cameras rolling to capture the excitement on the 8th hole, Scannell and Ebersole just missed the green, while DeRusha planted a dart just 2 feet from the hole and there was all of a sudden a sense of possibility and momentum amongst the crowd watching it all.  Scannell's 2nd shot went too far past the hole and on his return he just missed the putt to end with a bogey 4, Ebersole gets a 3, while DeRusha sinks his reggie birdie for a net 1. 

That 3 stroke swing left DeRusha only 1 stroke back of Scannell and it felt like a brand new ball game going into the final hole of the playoffs.

The par 4 9th hole saw Scannell and Derusha both throwing good first shots, giving themselves legitimate shots at a reggie.  DeRusha nailed it, and Scannell went over the green, thus evening out the scorecard right there, with Scannell off the green and DeRusha with a long putt. 

Scannell came on to the dance floor, but still left himself with a long putt. DeRusha putted, but left himself a 2 footer.  Scannell 2 putted, scoring a bogey.

It was DeRusha's to win, and with the crowd gathered outside the clubhouse at the Classic, he dropped in his 2 footer for a reggie par, and an improbable 5 stroke swing on the last 2 holes to take the 2023 Mens Championship at the New Swarm Classic.

Women's Championship

The 8th hole and reggies played a big role in the Women's Championship as well. With sisters Britt Morrison and Brooke Ebersole tied going into the finals, they swapped leads several times and remained tied heading into the 8th, when Britt fired off a phenomenal flingshot for a reggie just 8 feet from the hole.

Sinking that for a reggie birdie gave her a 2 stroke lead over Brooke, who had pared the hole. Despite getting a reggie on the final hole, Brooke couldn't catch Britt, who held on for the victory and took home the cup.

Team Championship

In the Teams event, APEX FC started the playoff round with a commanding 8 stroke lead over VIPERS FC. After 5 holes, VIPERS had reggied their way to just 4 back, putting some serious pressure on APEX, but then APEX closed the door on hole 6 with a reggie par and on the 7th with Sam Scannell's reggie birdie, leaving the 7th green back to 8 up. With just two holes to go, that hill would be too high to climb and APEX went on to win their back to back Teams event by 6 strokes.

"The reggie system was developed to create moments just like these", said FlingGolf Founder Alex Van Alen. "We've all seen traditional golf tournaments where there is a clear leader with 4 or 5 holes to go and there is virtually no chance of anyone coming back without an implosion by the leader.  I think that is why the 17th at TPC is such a crowd favorite, because it adds that possibility, giving the finish drama and tension, which the payers feel and the fans love.  Reggies give the World League FlingGolf fans what they want."

World League FlingGolf's new Commissioner, John Pruellage was also excited by the finish at the Classic. "It was interesting, because even though DeRusha had the best gross score and would have won if we simply used the traditional golf scoring, we would not have had the finish that we got.  Sam jumped ahead with a string of reggies, but Mike played steady FlingGolf through the 7th to keep himself in the hunt and then made several clutch shots when it mattered.  It's not about playing it safe: you've got to go out and win the tournament, which Mike did."

"It's no coincidence that all of our individual tournaments have had drama at the end, and reggies are a big part of that.  But it also set the table for some amazingly clutch shots by our champions which is why they win these tournaments. We feel we've got a great product for both players and fans alike and with both ESPN and now DSN showing our tournaments, and we think it shows."

The World League FlingGolf 2023 New Swarm Tour continues in July with a stop in Colorado, then New England in September and Virginia in October.  All events are open to new players as well as top WLF Pros. Follow the Tour here  

Televised World League FlingGolf Tournaments 

2022 New Swarm Classic on ESPN

Stay Tuned for DelmarVa Sports network airing of the 2023 New Swarm Classic

WLF's 2023 San Diego Open will be aired by ESPN in early August of 2023

WLF Delaware Results

The second stop on World League FlingGolf's New Swarm Tour saw a new WLF Men's Champion, a repeat Women's Champion, repeat Team Champions and first ever Teen and Junior Champions.  Congratulations to all the winners and players on a fantastic weekend at Delaware's American Classic Golf Club.

Here are the results of the top finishers:

Women's Champion: Britt "Reggie Queen" Morrison with a 27 hole gross score of 118 with 10 Reggies for a net of 108. Just one year ago, Britt was the only female to compete at the Classic.  She then took home the Victory with 4 women in the field in Virginia in October, and at this year's Classic, she beat out 11 other women for the title! 

2nd Place: Brooke "Show's Over" Ebersole: 119/9R/110

3rd Place: Christina "Sommerfling" Sommerfield: 122/9R/113

Men's Champion: Mike "Maine Event" DeRusha with a 27 hole gross score of 100, 14 Reggies and a net score of 86. Mike has flirted with a WLF victory since last years Classic, has come in second in two team tournaments (Virginia and San Diego) and reached the top in Delaware in dramatic fashion, with steady play and a hard push at the end.  Read the full story below.

2nd Place: Sam "Scantron" Scannell 104/17R/87

3rd Palce: Austin "Showtime" Ebersole 102/12R/90

4th: Jake "Island Hopper" Anderson: Net 92. 5th: "Lucky Jack" Bovich: 95. 6th: Zac "Mountaineer" Mulvey: 96. 7th: Ken "Kenzo" Pytluk: 96. 8th: Robert "Big Dog" Newton: 97. 9th Michael "Cutter" Alexiou: 98 and 10th: Neil "TinMan" Little: 99

Team Champion: Apex FlingCrew. Austin "Showtime" Ebersole and Sam "Scantron" Scannell with a gross score of 100 with 17 Reggies for a net of 83.Austin and Sam have become the clear team to beat in the Teams Tournament with back to back victories in San Diego and now at the Classic.

2nd Place: Viper FC. Ken "Kenzo" Pytluk and Jake "Island Hopper" Anderson 104/15R/89

3rd Place. "Flyin' BIrdies". Krysta Smith and Jamie Braley 108/15R/93

4th Place: "DE-NRG" 108/11R/97. 5th Place: "13 Feet" 110/10R/100 6th Place: ArndtVarks 111/7R/104. 7th Place: Fury FlingSquad 113/9R/104

Teen Champion: Patrick "Swaggy P" Little.  Defeated Vicky "RockStar" Shull in a two-hole playoff with Patrick sinking a key putt for the win. The all star lacrosse goalie from Delaware comes up big in the first WLF Teen Championship.

Junior Champion: Jax Holgerson 22/5/17 defeated his brother Alex Holgerson 29/2/27  and son of Mike "Big Cat" Edwards, Matty Edwards 30/2/18to take the win.

Top Military: Neil "TinMan" Little (Navy)

Top Newcomer (Women): Christina "Sommerfling" Sommerfield

Top Newcomer (Men): Robert "Big Dog" Newton

Top Senior: "Lucky Jack" Bovich

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