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Big Bear takes it!

CLARKIE’S CAPITOL HILL CLINIC

Four rounds. Three courses. Eleven guys who apparently thought they had a chance. There can only be ONE.

PRATTVILLE, AL — There are golf tournaments... And there are golf trips.

And then there is the FYMA Cup—an event where the line between competitive athletics and an extended vacation with golf clubs has become increasingly difficult to identify.

For the inaugural Fall FYMA Cup, the boys returned to Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Capitol Hill in Prattville, Alabama, the spiritual home of the Cup and, according to FYMA lore, the place where this whole glorious mess can be traced back to the 2005 “Trailer Tee Off.”

Five guys went south in a trailer back then... Eleven showed up this time.

And after four days, 72 holes, approximately 400 golf balls, cases of creamers, dozens of cigars, multiple questionable club selections and enough food to sustain a small SEC football program, Clarkie walked away with the Cup.

THE CHAMPION: CLARKIE — 284

Clarkie didn't sneak into the championship. He took it. He opened Thursday with a 69 net on The Senator, then detonated the tournament on Friday with a spectacular 63 net on The Legislator.

That second-round performance was the turning point.

While Chop, Fratt, Vis and the rest of the field tried to figure out which direction the Alabama River was flowing, Clarkey was busy building an enormous lead. By the time the field reached The Judge on Saturday, Clarkie had a 132 net score and an 11-shot advantage over Vis and Chop.

That lead would ultimately prove decisive.

Muddy and Fratt made serious runs. Fratt, in particular, refused to go quietly, producing one of the strongest closing stretches of the tournament. But Clarkie absorbed the pressure, survived The Judge twice and finished Sunday with a 67 net to close the deal.

Four rounds, 284, and one FYMA Cup Champion.

No playoff.

No controversy.

No recount.

Just Clarkie standing at the top of the leaderboard while everyone else stared at the numbers and wondered where those 11 shots had gone.

THE OPENING — THE SENATOR

“Welcome to Alabama. Please bring extra balls.”

Thursday's opening round on The Senator was supposed to be a gentle introduction. That was the first mistake. The course featured more than 140 pot bunkers, massive mounds and enough hidden trouble to make a golfer wonder whether Robert Trent Jones had designed the course or simply scattered hazards around Alabama and connected them with fairways.

The early leaderboard belonged to Chop and Fratt, who both posted 66 net.

Clarkie was right behind them with a 69.

G fired a 70.

Muddy posted 75.

And then there was Arch.

Arch's 145 gross wasn't technically a disaster.

It was more of a statement, specifically:

“I have arrived, and I intend to personally investigate every square inch of this golf course.”

Meanwhile, the TD's legendary 5-wood continued its long-term residency somewhere near the fourth hole.

The Senator had not been conquered. It had merely introduced itself.

Player of the Round: Chop - 89 gross / 66 net

Chop came out firing and immediately established himself as one of the men to beat. Unfortunately, sometimes when you're giving a beating, you can inadvertantly finish early.

SETTLE IN — THE LEGISLATOR

Clarkie decides this tournament needs a plot twist.

Friday's Legislator course was more traditional, winding through pine trees and along the Alabama River.

For everyone except Clarkie, apparently. The FYMA field watched Clarkie post a 92 gross. Then someone explained that his handicap made that a 63 net.

Then everyone checked the scorecard again.

Then they checked Clarkie’s handicap.

Then they checked it again.

By the end of the day, Clarkie had gone from contender to favorite. His cumulative net score stood at 132.

Fratt was 137.

Vis and Chop were tied at 143.

Muddy was 144.

Suddenly the tournament had a new problem.

Clarkie.

Round of the Tournament (so far): Clarkie

92 gross / 63 net

A 63-net round in a FYMA event should probably require some form of investigation.

No investigation was conducted. Steak night was apparently considered sufficient.

MOVING DAY — THE JUDGE

Fratt starts the comeback. The Judge starts collecting souls.

Saturday was Moving Day, and the Judge was waiting.

The first tee offered a 200-foot drop toward the fairway and views of the Alabama River and Montgomery skyline. For golfers with confidence, it was inspiring. For golfers without confidence, it was approximately 200 feet of additional time to reconsider every decision that led them to this point. Then the Judge gave his verdict:

Clarkie shat himself, and shot a 114.

Not great. But with his enormous cushion, he remained firmly in the hunt at 217 net.

Muddy came roaring in with a 92, moving to 216.

And then there was Fratt.

Fratt posted a strong round and moved to 210 net, putting himself squarely on top of the championship picture.

Suddenly, the tournament was alive.

And for the first time all weekend, Clarkie heard footsteps.

Fratt had spent the opening rounds quietly hanging around. Then Saturday happened, and Fratt entered the chat.

Unfortunately for Fratt, those footsteps were from The Judge.

CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY

The Judge — Again - Because once wasn't enough.

Sunday morning arrived, breakfast secured, the van departed, and the Cup awaited.

And the FYMA leadership made the bold decision to send everyone back onto The Judge... Again!

This was either excellent tournament planning or evidence that nobody had looked at the scorecards from Saturday. The weather finally cooled to 81 degrees, but the pressure did not.

Fratt held the lead.

Muddy was charging.

Clarkie was within striking distance.

Everyone else was mathematically alive, spiritually exhausted, and probably ready for pizza.

Then Clarkie did what champions do. He closed. A 96 gross / 67 net final round gave Clarkie a four-round total of 284.

Vis, in a last-round flurry, finished at 295.

Fratt closed at 296.

Muddy stumbled in and evened with Chop at 303.

The chase was over.

🏆 CLARKIE: YOUR 2025.5 FYMA CUP CHAMPION

THE MMXXV.S FYMA AWARDS

🏆 The FYMA Cup — Clarkie

The obvious one.

Clarkie's 63-net round on Friday created the separation, and his Sunday 67-net round protected it.

284. Case closed.

The Short Cigar Award — Fratt

Fratt made the most compelling late charge. After opening with a 66-net, he stayed within striking distance and eventually on top with a 210 after three rounds.

He had momentum... He had confidence... He had a chance.

He also had Clarkie to contend with.

That's the problem.

The Hindenburg Award — Muddy

Muddy opened with a strong 75 net, followed it with a 69, and then posted a 71-net equivalent on The Judge. After three rounds, he sat at 216, only behind Fratt. The Cup was suddenly within reach. Then came Sunday's crash...

The golf gods giveth,

The golf gods taketh away.

The "Here Comes the Judge" Award — Chop

Chop tied Fratt for the opening-day low with a 66 net. He followed it with another strong performance and remained near the top of the leaderboard through three rounds. Then The Judge happened...

TWICE!

The Bass-Pro Award — Kinger

Most golfers came to Prattville to play golf. Kinger apparently came to evaluate the Alabama fisheries. Six holes of cypress swamp apparently looked less intimidating than the golf course. We respect the commitment.

The ReMax Award

— Arch

Four rounds and four opportunities to see everything Capitol Hill had to offer. Nobody explored the real estate more thoroughly.

THE FINAL WORD

This year's FYMA Cup was everything the event was supposed to be.

It had a great #hype video.
It had the golf.
It had the food.
It had the cigars.
It had skeet shooting.
It had fine spirits.
It had Alabama.
It had the bond.
And, eventually, it had a champion.

The FYMA Cup may have started with five guys and a trailer in 2005, but nearly two decades later the tradition continues to grow. The courses get better. The handicaps get more creative. The stories get taller. And the golf remains, in the official FYMA statistical terminology:

“Pretty damn good… at times.”

But this year belonged to one man. He didn't win because he got hot for one afternoon. He won because he built the lead when the opportunity came, survived when the challengers made their move, and finished the job when the Cup was sitting on the line.

In the Year of the Creamer, Clarkie is the Cup Champion.

And we're still left to ponder, somewhere off the fourth hole of The Senator, a 5-wood is still waiting for its moment.

Until next time, boys.

Keep your stogie lit.

Keep your glass full.

And whatever you do—Stay #HYPED!

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