Thursday at the Lakewood National Golf Club in Florida, the Web.com Tour event’s LECOM Suncoast Classic was on display. It wasn’t long before Ben DeArmond made a splash. Well, six of them, to be exact.
Playing on a sponsor’s exemption, Ben DeArmond started off his day okay, bogeying the first hole. As the head pro at The TPC at Traviso Bay, It isn’t necessarily the start you want, although while playing on exemption, it’s understandable to bogey through the nerves of the first hole. DeArmond likely would’ve given anything to bogey again on the second hole.
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A Par 4, 491 yard hole, it is by no means easy. With water and woods lining the hole, it’s easy to find yourself in trouble. This, is exactly what happened. DeArmond ended up finding the water six times on the hole.
It started from the tee box. He found the water off the tee for the first time on the second hole. He then tried to clear it twice from the rough, failing to do so. He decided to go back to the tee, and found the water for the fourth time. Back in the rough again, he found the water for times number five and six. His next shot cleared and reached the fairway.
“I’ve never made a 17 in my life, not even when I started playing golf,” DeArmond said.
The lone bright spot from the hole? He did one putt, which is something that can be looked at as a positive. His score of 17 was the highest score recorded on a hole in the history of the Web.com, beating the 15 put up by Greg Eason in January 2017.
Only somewhat similar to Roy McAvoy, Ben DeArmond wasn’t being stubborn. They did dump more balls than they wished into the drink though. DeArmond’s dad even made the reference during the round, calling his son “Roy” a couple holes later.
For most golfers, something like that would be impossible to come back from, and finishing the tournament would be difficult. Ben DeArmond showed true grit and toughness, shooting a 37 on the back nine, finishing with a 91. Considering he has a +13 on one hole, that score isn’t all that bad. He finished his last 11 holes strong, with one bogey and ten pars.
“If you learn anything from me today, it’s don’t withdraw, don’t give up, have fun with it,” DeArmond said. “It’s a game. Everybody has a bad day, a bad hole — even the worst hole of your life. So you have to move on.”
They’re great words to live by, and a fantastic example for anyone when they come across a failure or a struggle. Although it’s the Web.com Tour and he was there on an exemption, Ben DeArmond showed himself to be a true professional.