Playing in the club championship at a course with as many quality players as Congressional Country Club would make most golfers proud. Now imagine getting to the final and facing your son.
That’s what happened to Skip Tendall of North Potomac, 12 days ago, as he competed against Ryan Tendall for the club championship. They are the first father-son duo in Congressional history to play for the title.
With a remarkable comeback from 4 down, Skip rode his magic putter to a 1-up victory in the 36-hole final. For Papa Tendall, itwas a memorable day regardless of the outcome.
“I wasn’t planning on winning. I was just looking forward to spending eight hours with my son,” said Tendall, 55.
After falling behind on the first 18, played at Congressional Gold, Skip made six birdies on famed Congressional Blue. Staged the weekend before the AT&T National, the Blue Course was playing especially difficult, with the rough high and greens fast.
But on holes Nos. 5 through 8, he drained putts of 40, 20, 20 and 15 feet, to pull even. Then at Nos. 11 and 12, he made birdie putts of 1 and 10 feet to take the lead for good.
“Ryan said, ‘I’ve never seen you putt so good,’” said Tendall. “There was an expletive in that sentence that I just deleted.”
It was the third Congressional title in the last eight years for Skip. Ryan, 25, won the championship in 2003 and successfully defended it the following year.
At Arizona State in the early 1970s, Skip played with future PGA Tour pros Bob Gilder, Tom Purtzer and Howard Twitty. Later, as a pro at Manor Country Club in Rockville, Skip introduced Ryan to golf as a pre-schooler. Ryan learned his lessons well, starring at Wootton High and playing at Illinois.
These days, Skip works in advertising and Ryan is a banker. According to Skip, Ryan is the better player.
“Ryan does everything a little better than me,” Skip said. “He beats me nine times out of ten.”
It’s an estimate with which Ryan disagrees.
“I think my dad was being humble,” said Ryan.
Tendall notes
» Skip and Ryan Tendall have won four Mid-Atlantic and three Maryland State Golf Association father-son titles.
» Connor Tendall, 14, made it to the round of 16 at the Bobby Bowers Memorial on Wednesday, falling to Kensington’s James Fitzgerald.
